Synergy
by Michiko-Sakura
Summary: She was a gentle, promising violinist. He was a stoic, workaholic detective. When their paths cross, can he save her from her past, present and possible future? Or will she teach him to open up first? Together, can they finish a long over due task?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: As much as I would want to own the CCS franchise, I can't. I do not own any of the characters of the original anime series or manga. I do own, however, all the unrelated, original characters in this story and of course, the storyline.

A/N: I know I almost reached the end but when I was writing it, things were left unanswered and well, boring. I chose to rewrite this story from chapter 1. Now I know most of you guys have read this almost 'til the end but I do hope that you check out the chapters once more because I will be inserting sometimes subtle other times big changes as well as additional scenarios, perhaps twists as well. I won't keep this A/N long. So onto the story…

Michiko

Synergy

Chapter 1

She had her eyes closed. Her heart was pounding like mad inside her chest. She willed her heart to calm down. She had to calm down. She was strong. She told herself that she was strong. She couldn't afford to be weak. As she sat there, she closed her eyes, in an attempt to shut everything out. She didn't want to see and hear anything. But the moment she did, everything came flashing back at her and no matter how she tried to stop them, her mind wouldn't let her.

Unconsciously, her hand drifted to tightly grasp the pendant that was hanging around her neck. It reminded her of her mother and the last time she was in that kind of scenario. It reminded her of what she lost and what she gained. It reminded her of the unsettling reality that was beyond the smiles and sweet scent of innocence.

She clenched her teeth together, trying to stop the goose bumps that were currently running down her spine. The nightmare reality brought had her insides gather all the strength she could muster to keep herself together.

Suddenly, she felt a light hand on her shoulder. She couldn't help but flinch and jump in her seat a little bit. "Sakura?" She heard Yukito call her gently. At that moment when realization hit, she felt her body relax somewhat.

Sakura opened her eyes and looked at the man standing in front of her. She could see worry written all over his face. His eyes told her that he understood just like he had always had since she was a child. She was grateful that she still had him in her life. She wouldn't have known what to do if Yukito wasn't there at that very moment. She clung to her relationship with him like a lifeline. She was glad that she didn't need to say anything for him to understand. He had always known ever since she was younger. At that moment, she wanted to breakdown but held herself back.

"Are you alright?" He asked. All she could do was nod. He leveled himself to her. Sakura kept her eye contact. Yukito could tell all the conflicting emotions that she held. He laid his hand over hers to try to comfort her. "Listen, Sakura, I know this is difficult to believe right now but trust me when I tell you that things are going to be alright. I've already called Touya. He's on his way back here. He's taking the first flight out."

Sakura only smiled back at him and mouthed a thank you. Yukito smiled and gave her hand a squeeze before letting go and standing. He told her that he would be leaving her for awhile. She nodded and averted her eyes.

She wasn't sure how long time passed but pretty soon two men had approached her. When one spoke, she looked up and saw him smiling at her. She stood and gave a small bow in greeting and acknowledgement to them. The one with gentle blue eyes told her that it was alright to sit back down. She nodded and did as she was told. He got a chair and sat in front of her. Sakura wouldn't look directly at him.

"You must be Sakura. I'm Detective Hiiragizawa but you can call me Eriol. And this guy over here is Detective Li Shaoran." He said. Sakura looked back at him and allowed her eyes to meet his. She saw that gentleness innate in him. But she wouldn't say anything.

He smiled at her before continuing, "Do you mind if we ask you a few questions?" She closed her eyes and shook her head slowly.

"I know this is hard but I need to ask you…what did you see?" Eriol asked. Sakura opened her eyes and looked at him, almost horrified at the question that was thrown at her. He could see it clearly in her eyes. He could tell that she was frightened more than she was willing to show through her actions or her face.

His eyes softened. He knew that it was something really hard to answer for someone who had just encountered something that he or she shouldn't have. What made it worse was that, Eriol was sitting before a famous violinist. Kinomoto Sakura, the young talent quickly emerging in the classical music scene. She had started to become famous, a world renowned violinist. Her music was pure and heartfelt, something that drew listeners to her.

"I'm really sorry that you have to go through this but I really must ask you what you saw." Eriol explained. Sakura looked down at her intertwined hands and grasped a little harder. She closed her eyes and bit her lip.

"Look, we are not going to get the guys responsible for this if you don't say anything." Shaoran suddenly said. Eriol looked sharply back at Shaoran.

"She won't answer verbally." Came Yukito's voice from behind them. Both Shaoran and Eriol looked at him. Yukito kept his gaze at Sakura. He knelt beside her and said in a clear voice, "Sakura hasn't talked in years."

"What?" Both Eriol and Shaoran had to ask.

Yukito let out an exasperated breath. Before he was going to answer, Sakura held on to his hand and looked at him pleadingly. He knew that she didn't want them to know. He knew that it was something that she never wanted to talk about or re-live again. He gave her a reassuring smile and squeezed her hand. "Sakura went through a very traumatic event years ago. Because of that, she sealed away her voice. Since that day, she hadn't spoken a word."

"This is turning out to be really easy then. Having a mute witness." Shaoran commented under his breath. He was waiting for this break for a long time. He had been waiting for them to slip up and this was the chance. But things weren't turning out the way he would want them to.

It was really frustrating for things to turn out like that. He and Eriol had been working on the mounting cases that they could relate to a drug syndicate. When they thought that they had a credible lead and witness, they just found out that he was killed. It was like every move forward they make, they are forced to take two steps back.

"Ok then. So how-" Eriol started to ask when Sakura looked back at him and gave him a small smile. She turned to Yukito and started to do a series of gestures. Yukito nodded and then turned to face Eriol and Shaoran.

"She said that she will tell you everything you need to know." Yukito said. He looked back at Sakura, waiting for her next statement but was suddenly called. He reassured her that he would be back.

It was awkward. Sakura wasn't sure how she was going to act now that Yukito had left her alone with the two detectives she had only met. She wasn't sure if she could give them her trust. The secret she had was very dangerous. She knew very well that she simply couldn't trust anybody.

She took out a piece of paper and started writing. After, she glanced up at Eriol and lifted the paper towards him.

_I will tell you everything…but not here._

Eriol stared at the paper and then at her. He was confused and she could tell. Shaoran took the paper and crumpled the paper. He was frustrated with what was happening. He was about to tell Sakura off but immediately held his tongue when he saw the look of her eyes. He masked everything he was feeling…all the frustrations and confusions.

"Why?" Eriol signed.

Sakura seemed surprised but recovered quickly.

_What I know can destroy a lot of lives…mine…and if we are not careful…even yours._

Grasping the weight of her words, Eriol got up and offered her a hand. "Shaoran, go get the car. Let's take her home." He said while glancing at Shaoran. He then looked back at Sakura, who was still apprehensive in taking his hand. "This lovely lady shouldn't stay in an office like ours 'til late."

Sakura still wouldn't take his hand. "Come on. Let's find Tsukihiro-san so that you could go home. It's better if you rest for tonight." Eriol said, smiling at her. She gave a nod and took his hand.

XxXxXx

Yukito opened the door to his house and led the way inside. Walking the familiar steps, Sakura couldn't help but feel at ease. She knew her way around. She had been there thousands of times growing up. It was somehow like her second home, especially when her brother was away like he was at the moment.

"Sakura, it's best if you stay here for awhile. It goes without asking that I will be looking after you but your brother asked if you could stay here before he arrives." Yukito said, while Eriol and Shaoran followed and settled in the living room with the two.

Sakura only smiled. It was the way it had always been. Her eyes then drifted to the piano. It seemed ages since she last played. After her mother died, she didn't have the heart to play the piano again unlike her brother. Ever since, she had devoted her love for music to her violin.

Yukito followed her gaze. His eyes softened. He knew all too well that look. He approached her and laid a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to him. He smiled and said, "Whenever Touya would leave before his concerts, he would come here and ask me to watch over you while he is away." He then turned her a little to let her face the piano before he continued, "Will you play something for us?"

She looked up at him, almost questioningly. He smiled. "I know that you have devoted yourself to your violin but your love for music never forgot the piano. After what happened, it will help you feel lighter."

Her eyes showed understanding. She knew that he was right. Music had always been her outlet. She could always let herself go through her music without breaking down. It was her escape…her freedom. Slowly, she made her way towards the piano and sat. She lifted the cover and allowed her delicate hands touch, remember the keys. She could remember the last time she played. She had played with her mother before her death, with her brother and father looking on. It was one of those wonderful times that she would never forget.

Sakura took a deep breath and closed her eyes. It had been years since she last played the piano. She wasn't sure if she could even remember how to play. She started to play. The music was soft, reflecting her doubts.

As the music started to fill the room, Yukito turned to both Eriol and Shaoran. "Tell me," Both men looked at the older man. "What happened earlier and how did you find her?"

Yukito went straight to the point. He wanted to know everything that was happening. It was probably wrong, he knew, but something told him that he needed to know everything. He could remember his conversation with Touya just a few hours ago. It sent a chill run down his spine. _Is this what he was warning him for? Touya's instincts are right on the mark as usual. This only means that this wasn't good._

As Sakura started playing the piano, Eriol and Shaoran looked back at her and started to think about a few hours back. It was a little hard to believe that it was only a few hours back since they met Sakura Kinomoto.

Eriol had admired her for her music, her innocent music. He never imagined that he would be meeting her the way he did. He wished it could have been different.

Shaoran could only close his eyes. He was starting to feel all the frustrations he was feeling earlier again. He couldn't help but clench his fists. This case wasn't personal like all the others but it was something that had a personal effect as it held more secrets, from what he could tell, that connected to his past...to his reason for becoming a detective.

That man that was killed and found earlier was the only witness brave enough to come forth and tell the truth. He and Eriol had done much to protect the man including help him assume another identity to get away but it seemed that it was a useless effort. Shaoran wanted to know how the protective custody secrecy and operation was breeched.

Shaoran knew that their sole witness was enough to open a lot of doors for them to start getting answers. He already knew that this case, as well as the others, involved the same people that were responsible for unsolved cases back at Hong Kong and across Asia.

He clenched his fists feeling that once again, the truth was slipping from their…his grasps again.

Yukito watched both men contemplate on what had happened earlier. He watched as nothing of their emotions reached the two men's faces but it did reach their eyes somehow. He had learned to read the two men a little bit as they have worked on countless cases together already. He waited patiently for one of them to start explaining. As the mood of the music shifted, Yukito couldn't help but look up and directly at Sakura. His eyes softened as he looked at her. He knew she was suffering more than what she was telling him.

He expected this. Sakura had always been a gentle but sensitive person. She would not say anything if it had hurt her but her music would say otherwise. Her music always reflected her soul. Yukito had known this for years. It brought him a new reason for wanting to solve this case sooner. She didn't deserve to suffer or live in fear. He wanted her so badly to live happily. He wanted to see her bubbly and always happy like she was years ago before she stopped talking. She still smiled a lot, a smile ready for just about anyone but still...

"Yukito-san, you do know that you cannot be involved in this case, right?" Eriol said.

Yukito looked back at Eriol and gave him a nod. "I won't get involved with the investigation but I would like to know what happened. Until her brother arrives on Japanese soil, I am Sakura's guardian."

"Guardian?" Shaoran commented.

"Yes. When Touya leaves Japan, he leaves me responsible for Sakura, especially her safety. She doesn't stay with me, yes, but I always have her check on me before she sleeps and leaves in the morning. Her cousin's bodyguards, Daidouji Tomoyo's, are enough for protection during the day."

"Bodyguards? There weren't any bodyguards in the area when we got there."

"There are times when Tomoyo opts to leave them. She usually does it when she knows that she wouldn't be long and would have them meet her somewhere afterwards."

"Wait and you let them?" Shaoran asked.

Yukito smiled and took something out of his pocket. He then handed it to Shaoran. "I never said I let them." Shaoran took it from the older man without saying anything. "Keep this between the three of us at the moment. Those are surveillance from Asturias that I sort of secretly got from the moment they were on their way there. No one knows of it since I set it up on my personal laptop. I won't go on the detail how I did it but here. I'm not sure what it contains. I haven't checked it out. I don't want to. You guys understand that if I did, it will not be admissible in court."

"The defense might argue that it was gotten illegally." Eriol commented.

Yukito smirked again. He glanced slightly at Sakura before returning his gaze at Eriol. "No, they won't be able to assume that. Just leave it to me. I will take full responsibility for that. Your job will be to investigate this case."

(to be continued…)

For those who read the old version, you might notice the difference already. I hope that I still get to be with you guys until the end. Please review. Thanks.

Michiko


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

A few hours ago...

"So this is going to be the venue for your next concert, Sakura." Tomoyo said while she led the way towards the conference hall.

Sakura walked in and smiled. She looked at the ceiling…the carpets…the vastness of the conference hall. It seemed empty and she couldn't quite believe that in only a few days it was going to be transformed into a concert hall filled with an air of elegance.

She walked to the center and opened up her arms and closed her eyes while turning around slowly. She wanted to have a feel of the place. She couldn't help but smile. She loved music and she couldn't wait to share that love with the people who will be coming.

Tomoyo looked at her best friend quite fondly. She wished that Sakura would always let herself go like she was at the moment. Ever since…she held herself back, only showing who she really was to a chosen few.

Sakura slowed and stopped spinning then looked at her manager and best friend. She smiled. Tomoyo smiled back and approached her.

"So I guess I don't need to ask you what you think about this place." She commented.

Sakura broadened her smile. _Nope._

Tomoyo took in a breath. She then scanned the vast conference hall. "It's going to be another event, Sakura." She then turned back at her best friend before continuing, "I already have the perfect dress for you. I sent it over an hour ago. Check it out when you get home tonight and tell me about what you think tomorrow. I'm going to finalize the setup and the last minute details tonight."

Sakura nodded. _Thank you, Tomoyo. Ne, Tomoyo? You didn't make the dress…over the top like the last time, did you?_

Tomoyo couldn't help but laugh. "Of course not. And hey, that last dress was so perfect for you. You looked so kawaii!" She put her hands together and had that dreamy look that Sakura knew all too well. Sakura couldn't help but shake her head.

_Anyway, hey Tomoyo..can I ask you something?_

Tomoyo nodded her head and waited for Sakura to ask.

_Do you think that I could take the next couple of months off? 'Nii-chan is performing at Berlin, England and France during the next couple of months and asked me to come and join him. He wanted me to check out some music academies there._

Tomoyo seemed to contemplate on what to answer. "Are you planning on furthering your musical studies abroad?"

Sakura bowed her head a little shyly. Tomoyo smiled. "Sure. Why not?"

Sakura looked up at her best friend. Her smile brightened, lighting her face. _Thank you, Tomoyo-chan. I've always wanted to learn classical music in Europe. 'Nii-chan said that he's going to introduce me to some of his friends there. He said that their skills are really one of the elite. _

Watching her best friend, made an impression that somehow Sakura was like a child, very innocent. But she knew the real reason why Sakura was apprehensive in simply going for her dreams. She knew that she was being professional, asking her first since she was her manager, but still Tomoyo knew the real reason why Sakura felt the reason to ask her permission. It had something to do with what happened years ago that changed all of their lives.

XxXxXx

"Damn it!" Shaoran cursed as he slammed the car door shut. He waited for Eriol to get in before he started the car.

"Calm down, will you?" Eriol said. He was used to Shaoran's real personality. He was one of the selected few who saw it being best friends and all since the Academy.

As Shaoran hit the accelerator, he forced himself to take a deep breath. He forced himself to calm down. All the while, Eriol said nothing. He understood perfectly well that Shaoran was trying to get it back together. Shaoran was a logical, professional man who lived the code to the letter and gave everything to his work. Eriol knew that Shaoran can keep a straight, stoic face for as long as he needed to but he lets his anger show when possible to get his act back together. Eriol's role in all of that was to keep a cool head and say nothing.

After a moment of keeping the silence, Shaoran finally said, "I have a feeling that something is going to happen."

"Yeah. I have the same feeling too. We need to find more witnesses and fast, not to mention we have to step things up."

It took a while before Shaoran answered. "Let's review what we've got. We must have missed something. Those fucking bastards aren't as good as they think they are. It's impossible that they don't have an MO. Every criminal has a MO."

It was silent inside the car for awhile. Both men were reflecting on a lot of things at the moment. They had just finished following up a lead which turned out to be nothing. It was frustrating because they knew that time was against them. They were dealing with professionals who seemed to have a long crime track record to be so efficient that they still weren't caught. It seemed that the more time passed, the more untouchable whoever was responsible seemed to become.

It wasn't always that way. Shaoran could remember the first case. He was still considered a rookie but his performance earned him the title 'the rookie'. He was fresh from graduation, only serving for six months at that time when he encountered the first case. At first, he didn't know that it was connected or that it was somehow part of this intricate web that he now found himself in. He even had a different partner then.

It was already past midnight. Shaoran was on his way home from his shift. He had just turned in his paperwork and was looking forward to bed, his day off the next day. But as he was driving the familiar roads leading to his home, his cell phone rang, a emergency message. It said to report ASAP to the address downtown Tomoeda, near the suburbs and old neighborhoods.

With a sigh, Shaoran turned his car around and headed towards the location. At that time, GPS was still 2 years shy. Getting to where he had to go took his skill in navigating the streets of Tomoeda. As he was driving, his phone started ringing again. It was his then partner, a senior detective who had been on the job for almost 35 years, Nishi Nakajiro.

"Nishi-san," Shaoran greeted.

"Are you on your way to the crime scene?"

"Yes. I'm 20 minutes from there. I'm guessing you are already there."

"Yes –" Nakajiro was about to say something more but movement caught his peripheral vision. His instinct told him that he had to check it out. "I'll see you here in 20 minutes. I see some movement. I'll see what it is."

"Nishi-san, wait for me. I'm going as fast as I can," Shaoran quickly said as he stepped on the gas and turned on the siren. "It is not a good idea to investigate on your own."

"Don't be ridiculous. Get here in one piece. I have two police officers here and the crime scene investigators are in approximately 15 minutes aside from the coroners. I'll see you in a few minutes." With that Nakajiro ended the call and went to investigate.

Shaoran cursed and raced towards the scene. It was known through basic training that it was not advisable to investigate a possible murder suspect within the vicinity of a crime scene alone. The chances of civilian or someone with a badge was higher. Besides, Shaoran's guts were telling him that there was something wrong. He couldn't put a finger on it but he felt that there was definitely something wrong.

When Shaoran arrived there in 12 minutes, there was something eerie about the air there. He quickly took his gun out and tried to walk the perimeter. The front door was open. There seemed to be no movement inside. He told himself that he should check the outside first before he checked inside.

As soon as he took careful steps by the side of the house that led to the backyard, he noticed blood on the concrete. Shaoran clutched his gun tighter, prepared for anything. He continued towards the back and saw the bodies of two officers on the ground. He quickly sprinted to their sides and felt for a pulse.

When he found none, he quickly took out his phone. "This is Detective Li Shaoran, requesting backup and assistance to crime scene on 851 Shinjoki street. Officers down. I repeat, two officers down and one detective still missing."

"Copy that, Detective Li. More assistance is on their way to your location."

He quickly replaced his phone and started looking for his partner. He saw Nakajiro lying down almost by the pool. He rushed over and felt for a pulse. He was so engrossed with his partner that he failed to notice the arrival of reinforcements.

"Nishi-san," Shaoran uttered loud enough to alert the others that he was out back, Nakajiro wasn't responding. Pretty soon others were at Shaoran's side trying to help with Nakajiro.

Nakajiro's eyelids flickered. Shaoran immediately felt hope sweep through his being. "Nishi-san," He said.

Nakajiro's eyes took a moment longer to focus back on Shaoran. "Blood triad…" He whispered.

Shaoran and a crime scene investigator looked at each other for a split second before returning their gazes to Nakajiro. "Nishi-san, what-"

"Blood triad…" Nakajiro repeated before he went into shock.

Shaoran watched his partner die that day. He died before any medical help could arrive. Nakajiro gave the first clue Shaoran had, _Blood triad._ At first it didn't mean anything. He had a hard time grasping what it meant. Plus he put it on hold as he was still tasked to help solve the case that they were called for that night and he was without a partner.

It seemed that it was a home invasion. Under close scrutiny, it was more than that. Nothing was taken only the lives of the occupants of the house, aside from the three men in uniform. In the end, it remained a cold case.

It wasn't long after that first case that he was paired with Eriol and ever since they have been encountering cases that involved Blood triad and a lot more.

Shaoran unconsciously clenched the stirring wheel harder. Remembering how his battle with the Blood triad, what they stood for, and the people or person backing them up or ordering them, Shaoran couldn't help but feel like it was a never ending ordeal to try and find solutions as more and more questions are handed to them. But at the moment, he was content with the fact that after a long time, he and Eriol had a credible, willing witness.

XxXxXx

It was lunch. After filing the last of his paper work of his previous case, Yukito finally was able to take it easy. One down, another twenty or so homicide cases to go. As a senior detective, he had his work cut out for him.

His phone started ringing. He checked the caller id and grinned. "'Sup, Touya? Calling about Sakura again?"

"_Yeah. Her concert is coming up. As usual, Kaho booked me and can't get back on time. Do you mind-"_

"Filling in? Sure, no problem. But something is up. You don't usually call and inform me of something like this. What's wrong?" Yukito said, his voice growing serious. There was a momentary silence on the other line.

"_Listen…I have a really bad feeling that something is going to happen near Sakura. I don't need to tell you that I'm no there at the moment so I can't look after her."_

After talking awhile, Yukito hung up the phone. He leaned back on his chair and closed his eyes. Touya's sense of foreboding was usually impeccable. His instincts are sharp, especially when it came to his family…meaning Sakura. Having seen her go through something really dark years back, forgetting her voice, slowly getting her to open up with the help of music was something that Touya took in really hard. He would never admit to it though. But he had blamed himself for not being there to stop it from happening.

That warning…his warning…Yukito had to take it very seriously. Based on years of experience, Touya's warning are not really without basis. They were usually something to be taken seriously. If he hadn't chosen to become a pianist, Yukito thought that he would excel as a detective. He smirked at the thought. It wasn't something Touya would consider easily.

He shelved the thought as he allowed his mind to drift back to Sakura. Sakura. She was safe at the moment. She had let him know that she was going to be with Tomoyo that afternoon, checking the venue of her next concert. He could tell that she was excited about it as well as nervous.

She had come a long way since then. He truly wished that Touya was wrong this time. He truly hoped so.

XxXxXx

A gun went off. It was a single, clean shot. Then there was complete silence.

(to be continued…)

Well, finally I've finished with chapter 2. I won't keep this long so please do send in your reviews so that more or less I know what you think and for those who have read the previous version, hehe, well I hope that you guys could see the changes that I've already incorporated since chapter 1. I hope to hear from you guys soon. Thanks for reading!

Michiko


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

(A/N: Past events will be in italic and Sakura's communication will be in italic bold)

_Tomoyo and Sakura froze. They were at the ladies room. Slowly, they looked at each other. Sakura pulled a little on Tomoyo's sleeve. __**W-what was that? That wasn't a gun shot…was it?**_

_Tomoyo was almost too afraid to answer Sakura's question. She was shaking and was trying very hard to keep it together. She also shared the same fear Sakura had. There was no question about it. Something felt off in the air. Something was terribly wrong. _

_She patted Sakura's hand and tried to force a smile. "D-don't be silly, Sakura-chan. How could-" Tomoyo tried to reassure the both of them but stopped dead when they both heard some movement towards them. There was no way they could escape towards the door. They both panicked. They quickly made sure that they didn't forget any piece of their by the sink as they quickly made a run for the farthest cubicle from the door. _

_They barely made it as the door roughly swung open and hit the wall with a bang. They quickly stood on top of the toilet and tried to be as quiet as they could._

XxXxXx

Sakura woke up with a start. She quickly sat up, cold sweat gripping her body. Her breathing was fast. She placed a hand over her chest, trying to calm herself down. She felt so overwhelmed with emotions that pretty soon, she couldn't hold back the tears and simply broke down.

It had been years since she had felt that scared. Sakura thought that things were finally turning around…that things were getting better but it seemed that the more she drifted away from the past, the more she was brought back there by fate. She hated the feeling to constantly being scared.

Tears kept flowing. It drenched her face. She was on the verge of being hysterical. But as the minutes ticked by as soundless and excruciating slow as they could, Sakura's rational thoughts were taking hold of her again. She knew that there was no way she was going to give up. She knew that breaking down and not getting up was out of the question. She knew that those around her needed her to be strong. But for that fleeting moment, she told herself that it was alright to be overcome with vulnerability. She told herself that she wasn't ok and that she had to let the feelings go or else she might not have the courage to do the right thing.

So many conflicting thoughts and rationalizations were coming to mind that Sakura wanted them to stop. She wanted silence. She didn't want to think or feel anything. If only that were possible…when she realized that she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, she got up.

It was cool as she took the robe Yukito had given her to use. She put it on and pulled on it as tight as she could around her body. She was still slightly shivering. Not caring if the remnants of tears were still visible in her eyes, she walked out of the room silently.

After a moment of daze of her thoughts, she realized that the light in the kitchen was open. She ventured over there, curious if Yukito was awake or simply forgot to close the light. She made her way slowly towards the light. It blurred her eye sight for a moment. As her vision adjusted to the light, she saw Yukito smiling up at her, sitting with a cup of coffee in front of him. She then noticed another cup.

"I knew you'd eventually venture out here. I made a cup of tea for you." He said.

The gesture made her smile. She knew she could always count on Yukito for things like that. He had always treated her like a little sister. He had always looked after her like her brother. He was much like Touya, only he was the one who always had a smile ready for her to make her feel better. Touya was slightly the complete opposite of Yukito but she knew that he cared for her as much as Yukito did.

Slowly, she took a seat across of him and thanked him for the cup of tea. The heat of the cup in her hands slowly brought warmth back to her chilling soul. She looked at the mug in front of her, allowing the warmth to seep in deep. Yukito looked at her softly, head slightly bent, looking at the cup in front of her.

"It's ok to cry, Sakura." She looked up to face him. His eyes were soft and understanding as always. "You don't have to cry alone. It's hard seeing you cry alone like this."

_I'm sorry, Yukito-san._

He stood up and went to her side and pulled her in a hug. He didn't need to say anything as tears started to follow down Sakura's eyes again. It was like before. She was still the same sensitive, delicate cherry blossom he grew up with. She never let anyone see her tears. He, Touya and Tomoyo were the only ones who saw them. When he did see them, every time, it pierced his heart. Those were the times when she would simply show how she truly felt…but somehow he knew that she still wasn't showing everything.

"Don't apologize, Sakura. It's normal to feel the way you are especially after what happened. Don't hide it." He whispered. He felt her tighten her grip on the front of his shirt.

After awhile, when he knew she had calmed down. He broke off a little and looked at her. _Thank you…for letting me cry, Yukito-san. Please don't tell my brother. You know how annoying he can get._

Yukito smiled. "He's like that because he cares about you."

She smiled a little and nodded. Her expression immediately changed. It was this raw fear that he had only seen once before…during that time. _I'm scared, Yukito-san._ She finally admitted.

"I know, Sakura. It's alright to be afraid. Please believe me though when I tell you that we are here to protect you. We are not going to let anything happen to you. Eriol and Shaoran are one of the best. Now, they are part of the team who are going to straighten this out. They also won't let anything else happen to you."

Sakura bit her lip. There was much more she wanted to tell him but she couldn't. She was too afraid to. She didn't want to put his life in danger. She chose to keep it. She needed to think about what was the right thing to do. She knew that he was looking at her every move. She knew that there were others who are looking at her. Some of those people cannot be trusted.

She closed her eyes and took a calming breath. _What did you tell 'nii-chan?_

"I only told him that you were found with blood and fainted, without any serious injuries. That's all I'm obliged to tell him, especially since this an open investigation."

_I understand. I can tell that he's going to try and make me talk once he gets here._

"He might. But then again, have more faith, Sakura. He knows when to push it and when not to."

She could only nod to that. "Why don't you try and get some rest?" She nodded and stood, bringing her empty cup towards the sink. "I'll take care of that, don't worry. Just leave it there." She did as she was told, bid him a good night again and headed to her room.

He watched as she disappeared into the darkness of her room, knowing fully well that there was much more darkness that was around her. Sakura had always hated the dark ever since she was a child. Now that she was nineteen, it hasn't changed, only she had learned to live with it.

He got up and headed towards the sink. As he started cleaning the empty cups, he couldn't help but wonder what really happen. It had been bothering him since he had learned about it a few hours back. It was frustrating not to understand. He wanted an answer but he knew that if he forced her, he was only going to push her away but if he didn't start asking her questions about it, time might compromise her statement.

Sakura was yet to give an official statement. He had only agreed to allow her a few hours of calm before asking her to give her statement. She knew that and with the look in her eyes a few moments ago, he could tell that she feared that more than she was willing to admit at the moment.

XxXxXx

After giving her statement, Sakura wanted to throw up as she finished recounting what had happened and said as much as she needed to. Yukito was there behind her. She knew why he chose not to be her interpreter. It was hard to keep it all in but somehow she managed to.

Outside the room, she was met by Eriol and Shaoran. Yukito couldn't be involved with the case because her relationship to him might compromise the on-going investigation. As much as she wanted Yukito to be there, she knew that he had to go and do his job. She gave him a smile, making it as strong as she could and nodded. He nodded back and left.

"We had just gotten word from the hospital. Ms. Daidouji is stable. Would like to accompany us there?" Eriol offered.

Hearing that Tomoyo was doing good somehow brought relief inside of her. She gave a nod, grateful that Eriol said that. She followed as Eriol led the way with Shaoran close behind. Sakura still wasn't sure if she could completely trust these two men, especially Shaoran, but since Yukito trusted them enough, she allowed herself to hope that yes, she could trust them.

Eriol was on the wheel and Shaoran in the front seat. She sat quietly in the back. "You can trust us, you know." Eriol commented, making Sakura look at the rear view mirror. She saw the sincerity and the smile in Eriol's eyes. She wasn't exactly sure how to respond to that. It was only polite though to smile and give a small nod.

The drive to the hospital was a short one. They made their way towards Tomoyo's room. As she looked on from the glass, Sakura could feel a lump in her throat. She could feel tears in her eyes again. She couldn't bear seeing her best friend like that.

XxXxXx

"_Sakura, you have to get out of here alive. You hear me? You have to promise me that you'll get out of here alive and I will promise you the same." Tomoyo said as they were caught with no choice but to separate. _

_Reluctantly, Sakura gave a nod. Tomoyo smiled at her and said, "Ok, I'm going to go this way and you go the other way. If they catch either of us, at least they won't catch us both. Come on. I know we are getting out of this alive."_

XxXxXx

Yes. They did survive it. They were both alive but Tomoyo was in worse shape than her. She didn't know what happened after they parted ways. What happened that landed her in that situation? She was only told the previous night that Tomoyo was immediately brought to the hospital after she was found, bleeding and almost unconscious. She had wanted to visit the previous night but was told that Tomoyo was still in no condition for visitors as doctors were still trying to stabilize her. Yukito had suggested to rest for the night and go the next day.

"She was found bleeding with a gun shot to the chest and left to die. She was lucky though that the bullet missed any major organs but still, she had bleed much so the doctors had to trace where she was bleeding from and also repair all the damage that had been done. They say that she is stable for now. She seems to be a fighter, Sakura. I'm sure that eventually she will recover from this." Eriol explained.

Sakura turned to face him. _Thank you for telling me. I appreciate the information and cannot thank you enough. But you know what…it should be me who is fighting for my life right now…not her… _With that, she walked away and sat at the nearest chair. Emotions were starting to overwhelm her again. She was right. It should have been her. She should have drawn those men away from Tomoyo. She should have protected her. She would give anything to be in Tomoyo's situation granted that Tomoyo was fine and safe. She closed her eyes.

Pretty soon, she felt someone sit beside her. "You shouldn't say things like that." Sakura opened her eyes at the sound of the voice. She looked and saw Shaoran sitting there beside her. He glanced at her and said, "Eriol told me what you said a moment ago. You shouldn't be saying things like that. You escaped with minor injuries. For that alone, you should be thankful. Your friend is fighting for her life but still she is alive and has a strong will to live. Saying things like that will make her sad. No one deserves to be in that state because of another person, including you, so don't keep saying things like that." He then stood up and let her be.

Shaoran's voice had been calm yet firm. She knew that he was right. His words made her think. She kept thinking about it and what had happened. She glanced up. Shaoran and Eriol were there conversing about something. She took a deep breath and decided to go to the washroom to freshen up a little bit.

As she turned on the faucet and let the water run, she looked at herself at the mirror. She saw her grief written all over her face. She saw that scared little girl once more. She saw that same vulnerable little girl who only knew nothing but cry. The coldness of the water as she splashed some on her face brought back some sense into her. She had to keep on living. Life didn't stop there.

Sakura closed the faucet and took some paper towel to wipe the water off. She took a deep breath and walked out of the room. She walked towards Tomoyo's room again. She glanced around and didn't see Shaoran or Eriol. She wondered where they had gone to.

She didn't mind really that they weren't there as long as she was there for Tomoyo. She was too scared to enter the room. She feared that she might do more harm to Tomoyo's fragile state. She was still recovering. She thought it best if she only stayed outside. In a few days maybe she could be allowed to enter already.

"There you are. We were looking for you. You suddenly disappeared on us." She suddenly heard Shaoran's voice.

She turned to him and mouthed sorry. She knew that he couldn't understand sign language. She then turned back to Tomoyo. Eriol eventually turned up, making Shaoran and Sakura turn towards him.

"We got a lead. I'll work on it. Shaoran, why don't you bring Sakura home?" Before anyone could react, Eriol was out of there.

XxXxXx

Once Shaoran took Sakura home, Eriol left as well. Since he gave the flashdrive to Shaoran, he took over the other stuff of the investigation. After making sure that Tomoyo was safe, he went back to the Asturias. Driving there, a lot of things were going on through his mind. The trip wasn't long. He didn't even notice that he had already arrived.

He made his way to the bathroom. The body was already taken out of there. His face didn't register anything. His cerulean eyes were catching every detail though.

The blood of their witness was still there, almost as fresh as when he shed them. The man was the only witness they had that would truly implicate the Blood Triad and could possibly lead them to the masterminds. But now, he was dead and they had two women, one in critical while the other was mute, in danger because they were inadvertently witness the crime.

He started to walk through the crime scene again. He went to the last stall where Sakura and Tomoyo hid. He closed the door and tried to imagine how everything would look like, feel like being inside the stall while everything was happening out there. Eriol could imagine the fear that was coursing through their veins, knowing that at any moment they could be the ones that would be killed, not knowing what was to happen, and what they could do to escape.

After awhile, Eriol got out of the stall and slowly walked back outside. Instead of following the possible routine the girls took, he tried to figure out what happened to Mizuhara Akito, their star witness and a former police officer. He wondered how he could possibly be found when they had placed Mizuhara in protective custody a month back, changing his identity and never staying in one place for too long.

A lot of questions were running through his head. Eriol shook his head and sighed. Those girls were just at the wrong place, at the wrong time.

XxXxXx

They reached Sakura's apartment. As Sakura opened the door with her keys, Shaoran held her arm. She turned to him and was about to ask when he beat her to it, "Let me be the first to enter." She stood still and allowed him to do as he wished.

Shaoran had worked on cases like this for a long time, even drawing from his past. He knew that the adversaries are ruthless and wouldn't let any survivor alive for too long. He had seen it happen too many times before and in each occasion, they were too late. He wasn't about to fail this time. For the past two years, every time they were close enough to the real identities of the people who were behind the Blood Triad, witnesses disappear and only reappear to be dead. The latest of that trend was Mizuhara Akito.

Shaoran knew that they were smart enough to know that Sakura had survived and so did Tomoyo. He was smart enough to suspect that there were eyes that were watching him and Eriol since the beginning, always ready to retaliate to cover tracts that would lead to them. With all honesty, Shaoran was getting pretty tired of the game. Justice needed to be served. He will see to it that all the people responsible were indeed get served.

In the meantime, Tomoyo was safe in the hospital where there were a lot of people who were watching over her. He wasn't going to leave Sakura alone while not knowing if her place had been tainted.

"Stay close to me." He whispered to her in which she followed. After a while, Shaoran eased up and hid his gun. He turned to Sakura. "It's fine."

She smiled up at him and thanked him. She took out a piece of paper and wrote, "What's going to happen now?"

"We'll try and get these men as soon as we can. In the meantime, try and live as normally as possible." He answered.

Sakura wanted to ask more questions but thought against it. She wanted to know more about these people but wasn't sure she was ready to hear about them, much less if Shaoran was going to tell her about it.

"Listen, get your stuff together. Prepare simply the essentials. You're safe here tonight but tomorrow, we will be taking you out of here and bring you somewhere to keep you safe. I'll stay with you until the morning but I'll be leaving for awhile to help Eriol set something up for Daidouji Tomoyo. I'll be back before you wake up."

All Sakura could do was nod. Her heart started to beat really fast. She could understand what Shaoran couldn't say out-right. They were going to take her away to keep her safe. It only meant that what they were dealing with was more than the average. She knew, perhaps, the surface, some that Eriol, Shaoran and the others didn't know about but still…it was enough for her to feel the fear again.

_So much for living normally. _Sakura thought. She wrote on the piece of paper, "What would you like to eat then?"

"Don't worry about me. I'll eat later."

Sakura simply put her hair up and started to cook some dinner. While Sakura was busy preparing, Shaoran sat by the counter. He glanced around her apartment. It was pretty neat and tidy. What struck him the most was how simple it was especially for someone who was slowly becoming famous. At the corner, there was her violin neatly set with some musical sheets on a stand. From where he sat, he could read the title of the song as that of Niccolo Paganini's.

"You were preparing for your upcoming concert?" He couldn't help but ask. The silence was killing him. He couldn't understand how she could be so silent all the time.

She glanced up from what she was doing and nodded. She pointed at the musical score at the corner. Shaoran looked and said, "May I?"

Sakura seemed surprised at the question. When she understood, she smiled and gave him a nod. Shaoran walked over to her violin and admired how wonderfully maintained and made it was. It had been years since he last held a violin. He took it gently and placed it on his shoulder. He took the bow and started playing. It was surprising that even after years have passed, his fingers still remembered how to play.

He hadn't noticed Sakura walk towards him. After playing, she touched his hand and smiled. She guided his hand and allowed him to strike the strings again, but this time it sounded a little better. She guided his arm to relax a little bit and improved his stance. She encouraged him to try again and this time, it really sounded better than the first time he tried. After a while, he handed it back to her.

She smiled again and placed the violin upon her shoulder. She readied herself. She started playing. It was the same song as with what Shaoran played earlier. As he was listening, he also noticed that with the way she was playing it, the song sounded alive, full of emotion. The emotion was overwhelming. So this was her talent. After, she prepared to hand it back to Shaoran. He refused.

She urged him to follow her then towards the dining area. Even though he had said that he wasn't going to eat, she still prepared something for him. She wasn't comfortable not doing anything for him. In the end, she was able to silently convince him to dine with her.

This was a little awkward. She barely knew her protector. Yukito said that he was one of the best. He seemed very professional…very professional. He was stoic and she hadn't seen him smile or smirk or anything. With how he played the violin though, she could tell that he had a good heart. It was raw and very contained, but underneath it all, she could tell that he had a good heart and a very troubled soul.

After cleaning up, Sakura headed to her bedroom to start packing while Shaoran stayed in the living room. It was a chore that Sakura was having a hard time doing. For a moment, she forgot the gravity of the situation she was in. But as she was about to get her travel bag, it all came crashing back.

XxXxXx

As Sakura went inside, Shaoran started to look around. He wasn't really looking for anything. It was simply out of curiosity that he started looking. As he was looking, his instincts were telling him that something was off. Thinking rationally, it was quiet…perhaps too quiet, even for someone like Sakura.

Out of impulse, he took out his gun from the holster and decided to check up on Sakura. Something was wrong. He could feel it in the air. What bothered him was that he didn't feel it sooner.

XxXxXx

Sakura placed her travel bag on her bed. She wasn't really in a hurry or anything. Shaoran did say that they would be leaving in the morning. She still had a lot of time before then. She headed to her closet, when she opened it. Her eyes widened with shock. She was immobilized with fear and shock.

There was blood everywhere. A head with eyes open, staring back at her, bloody and there waiting for her. There was a note on her closet door, written in big, black letters with blood all over. It said, "You'll be next." Sakura couldn't even find the voice to scream, react or move.

Slowly, more of involuntary, she took steps back. Soon, her pace was quickening as the full extent of the visual assault settled in. She quickly turned and hit someone. She started to fight back but strong arms were around her as she started hearing a voice.

At first, she couldn't comprehend what was being said. But after awhile, she realized that it was Shaoran and he was telling her that it was ok. He was telling her to calm down, that he was there with her. When Shaoran first got there, he had his gun ready. When he saw what Sakura saw, he lowered it and quickly stood there, ready to catch her.

She was shaking in his arms, clearly frightened out of her wits. Even he, with years of experience, wasn't prepared to see something like that. He replaced his gun in the holster and started to soothe her. "Shh…it's ok…it's going to be ok. Shh…" He said.

Pretty soon, he could feel his shirt get damp. He didn't need to be told that she was crying. He tightened his embrace around her. She was still shaking pretty hard. After a few minutes, he broke off from her, holding her shoulders. Her eyes were completely shut tight but tears continued to flow. He took his jacket off and placed it around her shoulder.

"Come on. I'm taking you out of here." He said as he took her hand.

XxXxXx

"Why are you taking your time? You do know that those two girls should be dead right now?" A man said. He was in his early thirties. With scotch in hand and a cigarette in the other, he seemed to be slightly pissed with the men in front of him in the table.

The man directly in front of him was older than the first. The others were standing behind him, his men. They were very rough looking. It seemed that they had been in the crime business for a long time.

"Be patient, Sagato. It's no use if we aren't having fun. It seems that we hit the jackpot this time. One of those girls is a rising star in the classical scene, Kinomoto Sakura, a violinist, the sister of Kinomoto Touya, one of this country's greatest piano protégés." The man in directly in front of him smirked before continuing, "Her name sounds familiar." He turned to his right hand man, "Aro, study her for me. I want to know why she sounds familiar by tonight."

Aro, his right hand man, the most trusted among his subordinates bowed and said, "Very well, Yu-san." He was an computer genius who had been taken in by Yu Fa Lei when he was a child from the streets of Beijing.

Yu Fa Lei then turned to Sagato and said, "Besides, who is she going to tell?" He was a man in his early fifties, leader of the crime syndicate currently ruling all of Asia.

"If you haven't figured it out yet, Kinomoto Sakura doesn't talk. It seems that she is…how should we say it…disabled in that aspect." Another said. This one had a snake tattoo on his neck.

"Be nice, Serpent. We cannot expect Sagato to know such things with all the things that he needs to work on now." Yu Fa Lei said.

Sagato seemed satisfied with their answers, letting the sarcastic comment from the men slide. He smirked as he watched the smoke on his cigarette. These men were professionals. They were eventually going to eliminate those two surviving witnesses. It was only a matter of time.

"Serpent, Anubis. Blade." Yu Fa Lei said. The three men at his back stood and waited. "You know what to do. I will expect results soon."

Without another word, the three men left the room, ready to carry out their orders without a blink in the eye.

XxXxXx

The room was quiet. Only the steady beat of the cardiac monitor was heard in Tomoyo's room. Her condition was stable although she still hadn't regained consciousness since she was found. Eriol remained outside after Shaoran took Sakura home. He wondered what else happened that left her in that state. It was clear from what he was seeing that she was more or less tortured. With what or how, he could only guess. It sickened him that people could do that to other people.

This case was really bothering him. With these two young ladies as the survivors of what seemed to be the biggest, most dangerous syndicate they had ever encountered, he couldn't help but wonder if it was out of shear luck that they survived. He could tell that they were strong in their own ways but still…he knew that the experience left them very vulnerable.

Now his main concern was keeping them alive. Eriol knew that it was only a matter of time before they would be claiming for both Sakura and Tomoyo's lives. He knew that they would stop at nothing to make sure that they are dead. He wondered now how they could pull off something as hiding both Tomoyo and Sakura.

He had already taken the first step by alerting the hospital to keep Tomoyo's identity secret. As far as they are concerned, she remained a 'Jane Doe'. But pretty soon, that tactic wasn't going to be enough. They need to be one step ahead if not more.

As if bringing his thoughts back to reality, his phone started ringing. He checked the caller ID and saw it was Shaoran.

"Change of plans." Shaoran said from the other line.

"What?"

"They've already made their move. They know where Sakura lives. She isn't safe in her apartment for the night. I've already taken her out of there. She's here with me."

"What happened?" Eriol was trying to keep the alarm from reflecting in his voice. _Shit. _He inwardly cursed. They were moving faster than they had expected.

As Shaoran recounted what happened, Eriol couldn't help but clench his fist. He had seen how fragile Sakura was. To have her go through that after what she had been through only a day back, it made his body pumped up with adrenalin. His mind was working overtime trying to comprehend what Shaoran was telling him and at the same time coming up with a plausible plan to keep Sakura and Tomoyo safe.

"A team is already heading to the site to gather evidence. Yukito is leading them." Shaoran said before going silent on the other end.

Both of them needed to think. "Where are you headed now?" Eriol asked.

"There. We will be there in ten minutes." Shaoran then hung up the phone.

As Eriol returned his phone in his pocket, he glanced up again at the girl laying down in that hospital bed. It was only a matter of time now before they catch up with her too. At an impulse, he got his phone and started dialing. There was only one way to go for now.

XxXxXx

A man with reddish brown hair and a long scar through his left eye in scrubs entered the slightly dark room. It was as silent as it was a few hours ago after Sakura had visited her. The steady beat of the monitor was the only major sound in the room. He approached the bed and glanced at the girl just lying there. She had a lot of bruises all over. Her arm was heavily bandaged. It seemed broken. Her clothing and the sheets covered her other injuries but it seemed through the bandaging that it extended to her torso and elsewhere.

Her face was heavily bruised, black and blue almost all over her fair skin. The man looked on without any expression on his face. He took out a syringe from his scrubs and took the IV port. He filled the syringe with air and slowly injected it on the IV port.

A minute hadn't even passed when the effects started to become evident. Her body started to react as if in shock, having a heart attack. Her body tried to fight but with the bruises and all and the man holding her down, nothing much could be done. Pretty soon, she stopped fighting back and her heart monitor started to go flat. He turned off the monitor to give himself time to get away, delaying the health personnel in noticing that she was now dead.

He smirked and walked out of the room as if nothing happened.

XxXxXx

Eriol went to meet them once they arrived at the hospital. "Are you guys ok?" He immediately asked when Shaoran and Sakura were there. Sakura's eyes met his for a split second before looking at anywhere and anything else but him. Eriol could tell that it had shaken her. He knew what had happened but still it was something he had a hard time trying to get a grip on.

Even Shaoran wasn't sure how to answer that question. He glanced at Sakura. He could tell what was going through her mind. After he saw her reaction at the apartment and how she could keep it all in, it made him wonder what she was really hiding from all of them. On their way to the hospital, she hadn't shed a tear or made an attempt to interact with him.

"How's Daidouji?" Shaoran said, changing the subject. He needed time to think. He needed time to take all that had happened in. It was one of the most gruesome and inhuman things he had witnessed. If he was to remain sane and be able to do his job well, he needed to think.

Before Eriol could answer, medical personnel were scrambling about. Before they could ask what was going on, they noticed that they were heading to Tomoyo's room. They knew what it meant…it meant something was terribly wrong.

XxXxXx

"…_now boarding…JAL 19 to Tokyo on Gate 37…"_

Touya was momentarily brought out from his haze. He stood and got his stuff and headed towards the gate. Ever since he had heard the news from Yukito, he had been worried sick about his sister. He wouldn't have admitted it out loud but his actions spoke for him. He wasn't able to play anything at caliber ever since. Now he was on his way back. He hoped that he wasn't too late. He hoped that whoever it was responsible for it was far, far away from Sakura.

He clenched his fist as he walked. He didn't have any problems killing anybody to save her. If only…back then…she wouldn't be suffering silently now. It was his fault. It was now time to set things straight.

XxXxXx

All medical personnel quietly filed out of the room, leaving the three inside. Sakura showed no emotion, no tears. Shaoran said nothing but was watching her from the corner of his eye. Eriol extended a hand towards her, beckoning her to come nearer to the body now covered by a white sheet.

With trembling hands, Sakura accepted the hand and allowed him to guide her. Still, no tears came. After a moment, she closed her eyes. _This is not her. This is not Tomoyo. _She said.

"Sakura-" Eriol started, with empathy in his eyes.

She met his gaze. He could tell that she was tired and a full grasp of the situation. Still, he saw it in her eyes the full resolved in her belief that it wasn't her. _It's not her. This is not my best friend. I feel sorry that this person is dead but I do not know her. She is not Tomoyo. _She cut him off.

She started to take steps away from the body. Eriol tried to come near her but she pushed him away and roughly tried to get out of the room. But she soon found herself in Shaoran's arms, having his strong, reassuring arms around her. He didn't say anything. He was only there. It was enough for the walls she was trying to build around her to fall down around her. She gripped the front of his shirt hard as she buried her face to his strong chest.

Shaoran said nothing as he felt her hot tears soaking through his shirt. It wasn't his strength to give out reassuring words. He was even surprised at his action in taking her in his arms the way he was. He could feel her body start to shake as the entirety of the situation was sinking in.

Sakura's knees started to buckle beneath her and soon failed to support her. Shaoran was quick in catching her but still allowed her to sink closer to the floor, not letting her go or failing in supporting her.

Eriol was surprised with the quick turn of events. He had never seen Shaoran act like that. He never expected him, of all people, to simply wrap his arms around this girl to try and comfort her. It wasn't like him. Perhaps what he was saying over the phone earlier shook even his stoic best friend. From what he heard, it was enough to shake just about anybody…including experienced men like them. Eriol could feel his heart twist a little bit more as he realized that if it had that much effect on Shaoran seeing a brutalized, severed head and the message that went along with it, who knows how Sakura really felt. A delicate, sensitive young woman like her shouldn't have gone through that.

After what she went through a day back, a few minutes back and now the death of her best friend…Eriol could only clench his fist and shut his eyes as he tried to control his anger towards whoever was responsible. He hated this side of humanity. He hated seeing innocent people like Sakura go through what she was being subjected to. He looked over his shoulder to the mere shell of a girl on the bed, he vowed to get to the bottom of this and make people pay. Maybe he was starting to become a little more emotional than what was required in their job but this was simply too much…too cruel.

Sakura tried to get away from his firm grasp but Shaoran would not let her. She eventually found herself too weak to even try as she allowed herself to break down yet again in his arms. She couldn't believe that everything was happening around her. It wasn't fair. It wasn't supposed to be happening…again. Hadn't she paid enough? Hadn't fate already taken so much from her that she had to go through something as gruesome as this?

Shaoran didn't exactly know what else he could do. He wasn't sure if what he was doing was the right thing but he felt that if he had let her go, she would pull away from them and they wouldn't be able to protect her. His gaze fell to the girl tightly enclosed to him before meeting Eriol's. He could tell by the look in his partner's eyes that they shared the same sentiment. They had gone way too far now. It further strengthened their resolve in bringing them down.

It took awhile before Sakura calmed down. When Shaoran felt the change in her, he slowly let her go. He looked at her face, noting that she had her eyes tightly shut, face drenched with tears.

"Sakura?" Shaoran asked tentatively. He wanted to ask her if she was alright but he stopped himself because he knew that she was far from that. He inwardly cursed at how stupid he was going to act by asking something that wasn't supposed to be asked.

Slowly, he opened her eyes. It took his strength to keep himself from reacting or showing his reaction as he saw how raw her emotions were. He could see the hurt, the pain, the fear, the anger, the confusion all at the same time in her eyes. He also saw her feeble attempt in trying to be strong…trying to covering it up.

"Come on. Let's get going. Let's get you somewhere safer." Shaoran simply said in his usual stoic tone as he got up and offered his hand. He then looked at Eriol.

"You take her out of here." Eriol said before Shaoran could say anything. "I'll take care of this then I'll follow." He added. Shaoran nodded and led Sakura outside.

XxXxXx

Shaoran brought Sakura to the only safe place he only knew, Yukito's apartment. Yukito was already there waiting. Eriol had already told Yukito everything that had happened at the hospital.

"Sakura," Yukito said as he knelt in front of her while she was seated at the sofa. "I know this is more that difficult. I can't erase what you've seen tonight. Honestly, I don't know what I can tell you to do-"

Sakura looked up at Yukito catching him by surprise. _I'll continue the concert in two days. _She told him. Now that he didn't expect from her.

"It's too-"

_No, Yukito-san. It's more dangerous to keep running. I will not be held captive…please…don't let them hold my life captive…I am not strong enough…please…_

Yukito was speechless. He wasn't sure how to respond. He knew that he wouldn't be able to talk her out of it. He knew that she could be stubborn too. He took her hand and look seriously in her eyes. He wanted to get through to her. "This is a very bad idea, Sakura. As you know, they want you dead. They will stop at nothing to kill you. If you go through with the concert, it will only make it easier for them to get to you."

_I understand. Please believe me, Yukito-san, I understand full well. I…I am not asking for your permission, Yukito-san. I've decided to go through with it. I'm more than terrified but this is the only way…use me to get to them. Use me to end this. I'm tired of being afraid, Yukito-san. Do this for me._

Yukito's eyes flew wide open. _Use me to get to them. _Her words kept repeating itself over and over again in his head. He had always looked at her as his sister. He felt his heart stop beating at her words. He grabbed on to her arms roughly and told her, "No. You are not going to use yourself as bait. Do you hear me?"

_Yes. You are._

His grip on her arm tightened. He cursed. Before he could say anything, he stood and let her go. "Come on. Touya's arriving any minute now. We've got to get to the airport."

He needed time to think about what she was asking him to do. She was asking him to place her in danger to end everything. As he drove, he could feel his knuckles grow white as he grip the stirring wheel hard. He wasn't going to lose his precious little sister. They may be related by blood but Sakura and Touya were the closest to a family he ever got. He wasn't going to fail in protecting her. He promised that in front of their parents' graves when she stopped talking all those years ago. He promised to protect her. It was what drove him to become a detective.

Shaoran sat in the passenger seat. From the corner of his eye, he saw the inner battle his superior was having. It was the first time he was seeing Yukito so caught up. He secretly smirked. He could remember being told by Eriol before that Yukito was always like this when it came to Sakura. He could remember Eriol saying it that Yukito could get really protective so when the case file was presented to them, they were really surprised at how things turned out.

He saw the reflection of the girl from the side. He could tell how worn out she was. Listening to their conversation earlier shocked him as well. To think that she would propose something like that…she was stronger than she believed she was. Or maybe it was the trauma of the advent of things that was talking…either way…he could understand the turmoil that was plaguing Yukito at the moment.

XxXxXx

"Any minute now…" A man wearing a baseball cap while pretending to read a newspaper said. A woman next to him cuddled closer. She had a grin on her lips.

She whispered, "About time…"

Outside, men took their place as they waited for their target to arrive. A man in a black car watching over with a cigarette in hand smirked and said as he rolled up his window and his driver started to drive, "Let the fun begin."

XxXxXx

As the plane taxied, Touya couldn't help but feel anxious. He wondered what had happened to Sakura, where she was. With what Yukito told him over the phone, he could tell from his best friend's voice that it was something very serious. He had only heard part of the story but it was enough to keep him on edge. All the way back to Japan, he wasn't able to rest. He closed his eyes briefly before opening them with a renewed resolve. It was happening all over again. He knew quite well that she might not be able to handle it this time. She still hadn't fully gotten over what happened last time.

He gathered his stuff. It wasn't much. He left almost all of his clothes, only bringing with him the essentials. As he left the plane, he quickly opened his cell phone and dialed Yukito's number.

"I'm here." He said.

"So are we. We are waiting outside." Yukito said before Touya hung up.

Touya made his way outside together with the other passengers. As he was walking towards the exit, he bumped into a lady…or rather…was bumped. Some stuff spilled on the ground.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Came the woman's voice as she and Touya were picking up the stuff that fell.

"That's alright. I should be the one to apologize. I wasn't looking at where I was going. I'm sorry." Touya said. He then handed what he was able to pick up to the lady. He looked at her and smiled a little in apology.

"Thank you." She said as they both stood up.

"Hey, aren't you Kinomoto Touya? The pianist?" She said.

Touya was taken aback a little. As he was about to respond he heard a very familiar scream, "'nii-chan! Look out!" He turned towards the voice then the next thing he knew, it was all black.

XxXxXx

Sakura was waiting with Yukito and Shaoran by the car. From where they were, they could see much of the airport. So many things were going through her mind, mostly what to tell Touya. She knew that Yukito had already told him much but knowing her brother, he would be asking her more. She always had a hard time lying to him. He always knew when she was lying.

As she sat there, she started having this ominous feeling that she couldn't shake. She shifted in her seat trying very hard to push the feeling off. But the more she did, the more she felt it. Something was wrong. The ringing of a phone brought her back. She glanced up front and saw Yukito answer the phone.

"So are we. We are waiting outside." Yukito had said. Sakura didn't need to be told that it was her brother. She glanced back towards the airport.

Shaoran and Yukito had gotten out of the car to walk a little towards the airport. Sakura felt stuffy inside the car as she followed them out. As her eyes scrutinized the random people there, she had spotted Touya and couldn't help but smile. She felt safer knowing that her brother was there. It scared her knowing that could happen if he knew the truth. She fear his silence even though deep down she knew that he would never hurt her, much less allow someone to hurt her.

Then, the eerie feeling she felt earlier was back tenfold. She started scanning frantically. Some people around her brother caught her eye. She recognized them. She knew them from somewhere. Her mind scrambled to remember just where. She could feel goose bumps run throughout her body.

A woman bumped into Touya. Being the gentleman he was, he helped her. Suddenly, she saw some men pull out a gun.

"'nii-chan…" She said under her breath. "'nii-chan…" She said again. But it had been such a long time since she used her voice that it was almost impossible for her to generate enough sound to reach him.

"'nii-chan! Look out!" Sakura screamed as hard and as loud as she could, making Yukito and Shaoran look at her in such surprise. She saw Touya was about to look back at her but then a man knocked him out with a gun. Sakura gasped as Shaoran and Yukito followed her line of sight. People started screaming and scrambling as armed men started to pull out guns and some saw them and started firing.

(to be continued…)

Extremely long chapter won't you guys say? Well, I've packed in as much as I could. Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. Please do review. Thanks.

Michiko


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The next blinking thought Sakura had found herself in Shaoran's arms once more. He pulled her down, shielding her with his body as he took out his gun and started to fire back together with Yukito. Her hands flew to her ears, trying to shut everything out.

"Get her out of here!" Came Yukito's firm, serious voice. The gun fight wasn't lightening up. Yukito saw Touya being dragged to a white van followed by some men and the woman that bumped into him. It seemed that they were waiting for this to happen as others started to break their cover and come after Yukito, Shaoran and especially Sakura.

Without another word, Shaoran grabbed Sakura's shoulders and got her up, getting her as safe and as fast as he could to the car. Sakura's eyes fell on Yukito.

He seemed to notice as he quickly said over his shoulder, "I'll be ok. Get going."

Shaoran got to the driver's seat and immediately stepped on the accelerator. It seemed that they were expecting that too as pretty soon Shaoran noticed two black SUVs tailing them.

"Shit." Shaoran said as he noticed men reaching out of their windows and aiming guns at them. "Get down!" He said as he reached over his side and pulled Sakura down.

As soon as he got Sakura down, the glass behind them shattered and the sound of bullets rang loud and clear. Shaoran ducked as much as he could while maneuvering the car to get them safe enough. Checking the rear view mirror, he could see that they weren't going to light up any time soon. He cursed again before taking out his gun. He needed to return fire. He needed to buy as much time as he could to be able to get them away safely.

"Sakura," He said. The frightened girl looked up at him. He couldn't believe he was going to do this but if he didn't, they were both not going to make it. "Listen to me carefully, ok?" He saw her nod and ducked as he swerved the car violently and a few bullets came their way.

"I need to shoot back but I need your help. Do you know how to drive?" He said as calmly as he could.

Sakura's eyes flew wide open. She could get the plan he was telling her at wave length. She nodded. What choice did she have?

"Alright. Carefully now, get up from where you are and we will trade places. I need you to drive while I shoot. Got it?" Shaoran explained watching her from the corner of his eye. He could tell that she wasn't liking the idea but as he saw her starting to follow his instructions, he knew that she was going to go through with it.

"Take the wheel first." He said as she obliged. It took most of her strength to keep from shaking. Shaoran needed her to be strong. He needed her to do her part so that they would have at least a fighting chance to get out of there.

Shaoran started to return fire. Sakura wanted to cover her ears but she knew it wasn't an option. With one big effort, they were able to exchange seats. She checked the rear view mirror. It seemed that they were only lightening up to replenish their guns with bullets.

Somehow she knew that they wouldn't be able to survive long if things continued along the path that they were. She glanced at Shaoran beside her who was also changing his magazine. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that they were going along a railroad path. From the distance, she could see a train coming. She knew that it wouldn't be long before they would be crossing paths with them.

After making a quick glance back, Sakura made a split second decision. She laid a hand on Shaoran's shoulder, immediately catching his attention. She then pointed to the train.

"What? It's a train, so?" Shaoran replied.

Before Sakura could even contemplate on how to answer, the men from behind them started shooting again. Sakura struggled with her seat belt. As soon as she heard the click, it was like music to her ears. She motioned Shaoran to follow him but he was too engrossed with the crossfire that he failed to notice. She knew that it was the only chance they had. There was no other option rather than to out run the train and hope that their pursuers won't be able to make it. She needed to train as a distraction. It might just give them enough time to get away.

If her brother or Touya knew that she was going to drive the way she was going to, both would have regretted the decision of teaching her how to drive. She could almost smirk at the thought but it wasn't the time to think about something as menial as that.

She stepped on the accelerator more as they sped to get as much lead as they could. "What the hell are you doing?" Came Shaoran's voice.

Her gaze met his for a second, hoping to capture his full attention. She then glanced at the train before keeping an eye on the road. She was hoping that the traffic was going to be another advantage while also praying like she had never prayed before that they would survive the ordeal.

Shaoran followed her gaze. He scrambled for his seatbelt. "Floor it." He told her. She nodded and did as she was told. Soon they were driving along the side of the train.

The train honked. _Just a little more. _Sakura told herself. Her courage was faltering a bit. She could feel the fear spread throughout her body. She was so focused on the road ahead that she failed to notice Shaoran looking at her. He wasn't sure what was going through her head. He looked back and there was a bigger lead now than earlier. They were still firing at them. He knew that Sakura was right. If they manage of outrun the train, they would be safer. They could get away and rethink what they would be doing next.

As she looked beside her, it seemed that the train was going too fast. Her mind was telling her that there was no way that they would be able to out drive that. But as much as her mind was telling her that it was a bad idea, her foot would not let up on the accelerator.

Her hand unconsciously held on the shift. She felt a hand hold it tight. "Keep going." His words ran clear. "You can get us out of here. You can do this. Just keep on going, Sakura."

She glanced at him. His face was stern as he met her gaze. It was full of confidence. She glanced back. She made a sharp turn as the train was about to hit.

XxXxXx

"Yet again, you have provided us with very useful information." Yu Fa Lei said as he over saw Touya being transferred.

"Of course. Isn't that why you asked me? For information?" Another man with blond hair and blue eyes answered.

Yu Fa Lei only smirked. Pretty soon, all cards will be in place and there will be no escape. He will have every single chess piece in place, trapped and secured. He was indeed going to have fun.

XxXxXx

When enough distance was set, Sakura pulled over at the side of the road. She closed her eyes and started to take deep breaths to calm herself. She couldn't believe that she just missed the train by mere centimeters.

"You ok?"

She wasn't entirely sure how to answer that. _Define ok. _She told herself. She looked at Shaoran and pointed at him. "You did good." He said. But it didn't seem to lessen her feeling of near death yet again.

Shaoran smirked and tried to lighten up the mood. "Who taught you to drive like that? Yukito? Or your brother?" Sakura turned to him and glared at him a little bit. He smirked again and replied, "I'm never letting you drive again. Come on. I'll drive. Let's get out of here." He removed his seat belt and opened the door. Sakura was all too happy to be doing the same. She wasn't in the mood to continue driving. She was too shaken up to do so.

As Shaoran took over the wheel, they weren't exactly going to any specific destination. It was getting late and they were both pretty tired. He could tell that it was taking much of her strength to even keep awake. He eventually spotted a motel. They could rent a room for the night before they headed back.

With everything in check and Shaoran was pretty sure that they weren't followed, they settled in. "You take the bed. I can just take the floor." He told her. Sakura was too tired to argue.

XxXxXx

"_Wei?" A young boy said sleepily as he rubbed his eyes off sleep. With his teddy bear in hand, he walked through the dark halls looking for his caretaker. He had woken up in the middle of the night. His parents were out for the evening leaving him with the butler. _

_A kind old man approached him and knelt to his level. "What's the matter, Master Xiao Lang?" His gentle voice said._

"_Where's Mama and Papa?" He said. _

_The old man smiled at him and replied, "They still hadn't come home, young one. I'll tell you what," He then took the young boy up in his arms and headed to the kitchen. "Why don't I make you some hot chocolate with marshmallows while we try and wait for them?" He knew that telling the child to sleep once more was going to be hard based on experience. _

_The child looked up out of the sleepy haze with excitement in his eyes. "Really? I can have hot chocolate with marshmallows?"_

_The butler let out a light laugh and set the child down in one of the stools and said as he started preparing the drink, "Of course, young one. Since you've been extra good lately, I'll even throw in a few more marshmallows than usual."_

"_Thank you, Wei!" He replied rather excitedly. _

_Hours passed. Eventually the young Shaoran fell back asleep, waiting for his parents to arrive. Wei had brought him back to bed, knowing that he would be more comfortable there. The next morning, Shaoran woke up as Wei helped him get ready for school._

"_I don't want to go to school. What if Mama and Papa arrive and I'm not here?" He stubbornly said, pleadingly to his caretaker who only smiled gently at him._

"_Your Mama and Papa wouldn't be happy if you missed a day of school. Now let's finish getting ready before I bring you, ok?"_

_With eyebrows knitted slightly, he eventually resigned to accepting what was being told. He knew that Wei was right. If he didn't go to school, he would have a very long scolding from his father, not to mention his mother. He figured that he could just wait for the day to be over so that he could ask them if could be able to start with his martial arts training again. His grades were up and as with what his father had told him before, he could only start training again if he pulled up his grades._

_The day went about really slow but he told himself that he would try to have a perfect score in his math test that day so that his parents wouldn't say anything against his training any more. _

_He had always loved math. He'd been good at it. But when he started training, he had been so engrossed with it that he had let his grades slip. As a consequence, his father banned him from training until he got his grades back up. His mother had explained to him that he had to learn how to manage his time well. She had told him that his father wasn't doing that to punish him but to teach him the value of time management. He still didn't understand it fully but he had done everything he could so that he could start training once more._

_When Wei picked him up that afternoon, he was all too happy to show his caretaker that he had perfected his math exam and couldn't wait until he got home and showed his parents. What greeted him though was something that he never expected…something he would never forget…_

XxXxXx

Shaoran woke up with a start, gripping hard on an arm. When his senses returned to him, he realized that it was Sakura's arm that he was gripping. He immediately let go and brought a hand to run through his unruly hair. It was that dream again…it was his past coming back at him.

_Are you alright? _Came Sakura's question. He looked at her. She seemed self-conscious and looked down in her hands. _You were tossing a lot in your sleep. It seemed that you were having a nightmare. _She told him.

Pushing her inquiries aside, Shaoran proceeded to asking her, "Did I wake you up? Sorry. You can go back to sleep."

She looked at him for awhile, squinting at the sudden hardness in his tone. _It helps to talk. _She told him.

He smirked a little and replied, "You're the one to tell me that. I heard you scream to warn your brother only a couple of hours ago but still you refuse to talk…refuse to use your voice."

The reality hit Sakura hard as she squinted again, trying to hide the pain from the man in front of her. She hid her head lower and whispered, "I'm sorry."

The softness of her voice was almost inaudible but it was enough for Shaoran's head to snap at her direction, body rigid. "What did you say?"

She quickly shook her head to pass it off as nothing. "Sakura." He said holding her arms making her look at him.

She met his piercing gaze, the gaze that was trying to figure her out. She simply shook her head and fought his grasp. _I'm sorry. I guess I better get back to sleep. Good night. _She quickly scrambled to her feet and got to bed again, turning her back towards him. She knew that she had stepped a boundary there and was mentally cursing herself for doing so. Now, she believed that she had made the only man she could trust now with her life angry at her. She shut her eyes and tried to sleep.

Shaoran cursed under his breath. He didn't mean to snap at her. Judging from her reaction, he knew that he had hurt her. His pride hindered him from apologizing or stopping her from turning back against him. He got up from bed and decided to wash his face. After splashing some cold water at his face, he looked at himself at the mirror. Sakura hadn't really done anything bad against him. it only made him want to hit himself more. He was being a jerk and he knew it.

He headed back into the room where she lay rigid on bed. He let out a sigh and said nothing. He wasn't going to disturb her now. If he was going to talk to her, he would do it at day break. He had glanced on the clock and it registered 1:15 am. Somehow he knew that it was going to be a long night.

He knew that he wasn't imagining things when he heard her voice. It was soft and very delicate. He knew that she had said it even if she greatly denied it. He glanced on the girl again. Yeah. It was definitely going to be a long night. He wasn't sure how he would be handling things now.

XxXxXx

"_Oka-san, can I go play at the tree house? 'Tou-san said that I can replant some of the roses at the plant box he and 'nii-chan made." Sakura said after she had practiced the piano._

_Her mother smiled and nodded. "Be careful, Sakura." She warned as she watched her daughter run outside. _

_As a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist, Nadeshiko leaned back and said, "I wish you hadn't told her she could replant those roses at her tree house."_

_Her husband's gentle laugh resounded at her ear before kissing her cheek, "Don't worry, love. Sakura will be fine. She's carefree, yes, but very careful."_

_Nadeshiko let out a sigh and turned to face her husband in his arms. "Perhaps you are right. She did inherit that side of you." She then let out a laugh. "She isn't as clumsy as me." Fujitaka soon joined her laughter and kissed her forehead. _

"_Now, what would you like for dinner? It's my turn to cook, it seems." Fujitaka said. _

_Nadeshiko smiled and replied, "Hmm, anything sounds good. I think there is still some red snapper in the freezer."_

"_Red snapper it is." Fujitaka said as he put on the apron and started preparing their dinner while Nadeshiko sat in front of the piano and started playing. _

_From the tree house, Sakura looked out the small window and smiled. She could hear her mother's beautiful music. It was enough to make her smile. She could also see her father busy making dinner. She loved her father's home cooked meals. It was enough to warm her heart. _

_As she played and replanted, Sakura didn't notice time fly. It didn't seem long. But suddenly she heard a sudden bang. It seemed like a gun shot but she wasn't sure. She quickly made her way towards the window and looked down. Her eyes flew wide open when she saw her father bloodied over the kitchen floor. Nadeshiko then came running from the living room and was shot too._

_Sakura wanted to scream but held a hand over her mouth when she saw her mother look at her direction and motioned her to be quiet. All she could do was nod as she saw her mother die slowly. Sakura ducked before she was spotted but from where she crouched, she saw the faces of the men who entered their home and killed her parents. _

_As quickly as they arrived, they left. Sakura was too scared to leave the safety of her tree house. Tears started falling down her eyes._

"_Otou-san! Oka-san!" She screamed her last scream._

XxXxXx

"Otou-san! Oka-san!" Came her scream as she shot up from bed, cold sweat all over her body. As she shot up from bed, she felt herself smack right into someone hard. Her ears were ringing but soon calmed down and realized that Shaoran was there.

After a while, Sakura sat there taking deep calming breaths as Shaoran watched her. "You were having a nightmare, it seems."

Sakura bit her lower lip and closed her eyes really hard. Shaoran kept looking at her but it seemed she was back to not speaking. He had already proven that she could talk if she wanted to. It was getting frustrating that she till chose to not talk. But a part of him somehow understood why she kept on choosing to hide her voice. It seemed that she had gone through so much trauma that it was better to not talk. He probably would act the same. He inwardly smirked. He was doing the same. He never voiced out any of his past to anyone. Sakura was exactly doing the same.

He decided that it was better if he left her alone. He wasn't the sort of man who could reassure somebody especially if she was his charge. They had a strict professional relationship. If he started reassuring her more, it would be deemed unethical.

He was about to get up but suddenly felt her hand grab his. He looked at her. She didn't look up at him. He was about to ask why when he felt a tear fall on his hand. It was all the confirmation he needed to know that she was crying.

"I'm s-sorry…" Came her soft voice.

Did he hear wrong again? He wasn't sure of anything. Sakura then looked up at him and said, "I'm sorry. I-you were right…I shouldn't…I'm sorry…"

Sakura looked away. "Sakura, look at me." Came his commanding voice. She would not look at him. She couldn't. She didn't want to be so vulnerable. She felt that if she did look at him, she might not be able to hold her walls up.

"Sakura," He said in a much gentle voice. "Look at me." When she still wouldn't look at him, he let out a sigh. With the use of his free hand, he lifted her chin and made her face him.

"Open your eyes."

Shaoran thought that she wouldn't. But after awhile, she eventually did. He smirked and said, "What are you apologizing for? For earlier?" She simply nodded. "Don't. It was my fault. I shouldn't have snapped out at you. For that, I am sorry."

She only nodded and looked down again. She let his hand go and intertwined her hands. She then heard him comment, "You have a very beautiful voice." She could feel her face grow warm. "It's nice to finally hear it."

Shaoran wasn't sure why he said that. He was shocked himself that those words actually came from him. "So, you want to talk about something? It seemed that your dream really bothered you."

Sakura looked up at him. He didn't seem irritated or anything. He truly looked like he was interested. "I'm…I haven't talked…in such a long time…I…am having trouble…actually talking…" She said.

"Take your time. I guess that happens after years of not talking. And if you are having trouble, might as well practice again until you get the hang of it."

She looked at him. He was there. He was willing to listen. He encouraged her to talk. She could remember countless times when Touya, Yukito and Tomoyo tried to encourage her to talk again like he was doing. She wasn't sure why she would choose now and with someone she had just met. But deep down she felt that she could trust him and he would be frank. It wasn't like she didn't trust her brother, Yukito or Tomoyo but they had always told her that it was going to be alright. What she wanted to hear from them was the truth. Shaoran seemed more inclined to tell her the truth than flat out reassure her fears.

"How…how do you…do it?" She asked.

"Do what?"

She looked up at him before she responded, "Erase the things…the bad…things…you see at work…from your mind…so that you could…sleep?"

Shaoran could understand what she was having trouble asking him. With the things she had just went through, the things she'd seen, he could understand that they were now hunting her dreams. He took a deep breath and looked at the girl who was now hugging her knees. "We don't, Sakura. I mean, I could never erase what I've seen. It is something that I just have to live with for the rest of my life. It is part of the job I chose. It is a little bit different if it is simply because of your job or if you have lived through something really traumatic."

All she could do was nod. He somehow felt that she wasn't really satisfied with his answer, neither was he actually. "I have gone through something similar to you. I know what you are going through. I've been told that you have gone through some things in the past that had made you stop talking. You lived through that and with the recent things that had been happening to you, you will be able to live through that too."

Her gaze met his. "You are stronger than you think, Sakura."

"I'm not strong, Shaoran."

"Yes, you are. Earlier this evening, you told Yukito that you are going to continue with your concert even if you know that by doing so, it will give them time to actually get you. After that, even if you haven't talked in a long time, upon seeing your brother about to get hurt, you screamed your loudest to warn him. Then, while being rained upon by bullets, you were able to get up and switch places with me and drive. Plus, you raced with a train and drove us to safety. I'm telling you. You are stronger than what you think."

Sakura closed her eyes. "I witnessed my parents' murder." Her voice grew softer and filled with emotion. That was something that Shaoran didn't expect.

_Shit. Why is she telling me this? What is happening? _His mind screamed. He tried to keep his reaction hidden. She told him everything about that day…her dream…her memory…

"My brother was the one who found the bodies…when he got home. He called the police and looked for me every where. I could hear him call but I couldn't…I wouldn't talk…eventually he found me at the tree house. 'nii-chan pulled me in a hug and was angry because I scared him…I wouldn't answer. I never spoke after that day. 'nii-chan…Yukito-san…Tomoyo-chan…they all know what happened that day…but I couldn't speak again."

After awhile, Shaoran asked, "Why now?"

Sakura looked up at him. "I told you and Eriol that I would tell you everything, right? My statement…they were all true but I left some things out."

Shaoran's eyes widened. He held her arms and said, "What are you talking about?"

"I-I couldn't…I didn't…say some things…because it might get some people killed…aside from me."

"Again, what are you talking about? What happened, Sakura?" He said, his grip was getting to be a little stronger. He noticed and immediately retreated. "I'm sorry."

Sakura rubbed her arms. "Shaoran," He looked back at her. "Don't trust anyone. Right now…you are the only one I will trust…please…don't trust anybody else…"

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying…the enemy is closer than you think. I do not know who he is but I do know how he looks like. He seems important."

He contemplated on what she was saying. When he looked at her again, that was when he saw and felt her fear. "Listen, I'm going to protect you. I'm not going to let anything happen, alright?" She nodded.

"Since I still couldn't get a hold on Yukito or Eriol, I'm not sure if I can bring you back. I'm taking you somewhere safe, where no one can find you aside for myself. You can stay there until your concert. You still want to go through with it, right?"

She nodded. "Please use me…use me to get to them. Please put them away. I don't think Tomoyo and I are the only ones who have been put through something like this because of them."

"We will end this, Sakura."

XxXxXx

"Where are we?" Sakura asked as they pulled up a large house.

"This is my house. Come on." Shaoran said as he got out of the car and headed to the front door. Sakura was taken aback that he would bring her there. She followed him. It was such a big house. It was a little hard to imagine that he would be living there much less have him as the owner. Exactly how much did a detective earn?

The door was opened and an elderly man greeted them. "Good morning, Master Shaoran. It seems that you have a guest with you."

"Good morning, Wei. This is Kinomoto Sakura. She's going to stay here for awhile." He said.

"Good morning, Sir." Sakura said, she felt a little bit awkward with the sudden turn of events.

He smiled at her. It was the first time his young master had brought home a woman. To bring home on of the country's top musicians at that, it was something else. Yet he saw nothing romantic going on between them…yet. "Please, call me Wei. Breakfast will be in a while. Perhaps you would like to freshen up?"

Sakura was about to refuse politely when Shaoran spoke for her, "Please show her to the guest bedroom and give her some clothes to wear." She turned to him only to have him nod at her and urged her to follow Wei as he disappeared to his bedroom. Sakura didn't have a choice to but follow.

Wei led her to the guest bedroom and said, "This will be your room for your stay here. Make yourself at home, my dear."

"Thank you, Wei-san." Sakura replied with a small smile while rubbing her arms. This was a little too much.

The old man looked at her quite fondly. "The bathroom is over there. You can freshen up. I will leave a set of clean clothes for you to wear on the bed." She only smiled again.

After awhile, she emerged from the room and walked over to the kitchen where Wei was preparing them breakfast. "Thank you, Wei-san…especially for the clothes."

He smiled over at her as she sat at the stool by the counter. "You know, you are the first woman he has ever brought home with him." This brought a blush on Sakura's cheeks.

She brushed it aside and said, "Can I help you with...anything?"

"Goodness child." He replied with a series of soft laughs. "You are a guest of Master Shaoran. It's ok."

"Please…it's simply Sakura." She smiled back.

"Alright, Sakura-chan it is." The old man smiled as he was preparing some batter, which Sakura could tell were for pancakes. "So, Sakura-chan, are you ready for your concert tomorrow?"

That was right…her concert was tomorrow! "I've practiced as much as I could…I have to be honest though…I'm a little scared…"

Wei took it as pre-concert jitters but from where Shaoran stood as he heard what she said, he knew better. It was indeed a very daunting task knowing that she could lose her life in the next twenty four hours.

"My dear, fear is one of man's most primitive instinct and in the end, it is what makes you survive. You will do good, Sakura-chan. I've heard your music before…though not live…I can tell that a person who puts so much heart into her music will do just fine." He said as he placed a plate of pancakes with fresh raspberries and blueberries in front of her.

Shaoran grinned beyond the corner. He could always count on Wei to help make someone fell better. He then decided to go and join them.

"Ah Master Shaoran," Wei said looking up. Sakura turned from where she was seated and greeted him with a smile. She held a breath for a while. It was the first time she actually saw Shaoran wear something quite less formal. He wore a simple blue jean and a white shirt, rolled up to his sleeve with the top two buttons undone. So that was what Yukito had told her about after he and Eriol had left that first night she had met them.

"Wei's right you know." Shaoran said as he took a seat next to Sakura. She looked at him questioningly. "You're going to do fine. Besides, you won't be alone."

Sakura smiled in understanding. "Thanks."

"Sorry if the clothes don't fit that well…those are the smallest things I own." Shaoran said.

She blushed a little bit as she was about to take a bit of raspberry. "No, it's ok. Thank you. You've done so much…thank you."

"You'll be safe here." She said nothing, not really knowing how to respond to that. Wei watched the exchange between the two with much amusement. He was definite that there was something different with Shaoran.

Silence fell between them for awhile as they were eating the pancakes Wei prepared for them. It took awhile before Shaoran noticed what Sakura was doing.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"What?" She looked up at him, quite surprised. As far as she knew she wasn't doing anything aside from eating breakfast like he was.

He motioned to the chocolate syrup she mixed in with her pancakes and fresh fruits. She laughed. "Don't tell me you've never had pancakes and fruits with chocolate before aside from honey or butter or whatever?" She said.

He looked at her somewhat incredulously. She got her knife and cut a piece of pancake with a bit of blueberry and raspberry and put a generous amount of chocolate in her fork and offered it to him. "Go on. Taste it." She said.

Shaoran said nothing and continued to look at what she was offering him. She kept offering it until he relented and got the fork and took the bite. "Well?" She asked.

"It's good." He said, without much emotion. He was surprised that it did taste good. He never ate pancakes and fruit like that before. The sound of her gentle, carefree laugh filled the air. He couldn't help but look at her.

Sakura looked up at Wei and smiled. "Thanks for the chocolate, Wei-san." She said.

The elderly man looked at her fondly with a smile. He then said, "Honestly, even I haven't had chocolate with pancakes or fruits before."

"My father would prepare something like this every once in a while when my brother and I were growing up. After he died…'nii-chan or Yukito-san would make it…it brings back fun memories." Sakura replied.

Shaoran glanced at her slightly. He noted her sad expression even if she hid it quite quickly. It was only a split second but he definitely saw it. In a way, she was just like a child in terms of innocence but she was hardly a child.

After breakfast, Shaoran led her to his study. He opened the sliding door to the garden outside to let the morning breeze come in. Sakura stood next to him. That was when he noticed that she had her hair down as it was blown by the wind. "This place helps me forget about stress for awhile. You are free to come here. Make yourself at home. Wei will help you if you need anything. Don't hesitate to ask."

"This is already…too much…Shaoran…I appreciate everything…thank you." She said.

"If you want to practice, my violin is there. It hasn't been used in years though." Her gaze followed to where he pointed. She saw that he took the liberty to place it on the table, ready for her. She walked over to it and held it in her hands. It was still in good shape even after years of not being used.

"This violin…is so much like you…" Came Sakura's voice, which made Shaoran look at her. As she scrutinized the violin, she felt his gaze on her. She smiled and turned to him. She struck the strings and adjusted them to be in tune. She took the bow and played a short song.

"Very much like you…" She said before placing the bow down and presenting the violin to Shaoran. "Its sound is strong and vibrant, with much confidence and tremor. Similar and yet…very different from mine."

"How can you tell?" He couldn't resist asking.

She smiled at him and replied, "Every violin is different. It has a unique personality, much like its owners. To create music, there is a bond that is created…because…as you play…it becomes a part of you…not just an instrument…it becomes something like your arm…your soul…your heart…that is why I know."

"And who are you flirting with my Shaoran?" Came a female voice from the doorway. Her tone was enough to tell Sakura that she may be in rough waters. It was enough to tell her that she wasn't welcome. She and Shaoran turned to look at who had spoken as Shaoran inwardly groaned.

A beautiful woman with long black hair walked into the room. Her gaze did not break Sakura's. Sakura felt a chill run down her spine. She wondered what she did wrong.

"Meiling?" Shaoran questioned beside Sakura.

That was when she broke her gaze from Sakura and jumped to wrap her arms around Shaoran, who took a step back, with what seemed like surprise and disgust in his face. "Shaoran! I've missed you!" she said.

Shaoran grabbed her arms and tried to untangle himself from her grasp. "What are you doing here?" His tone was calm and sort of cold. It shocked Sakura that she spoke in that tone at all.

The girl pouted and crossed her arms in front of her. "Is that how you treat your fiancée?"

Sakura suppressed a gasp. Fiancee? Well with his good looks and mysterious demeanor, she shouldn't be surprised that he was engaged at all. Shaoran let out a hard sigh and turned to Sakura. "This is Li Meiling, my cousin." He said. Cousin? Now, Sakura was all confused. His fiancée was his cousin?

"And who's this, Shaoran? Why is she here?" Meiling asked.

He turned to her. His gaze turned somewhat cold. "That is none of your business, Meiling. Who I let inside my house is not your business."

"I am your fiancée." She said.

"Bull shit."

Sakura cleared her throat, catching the attention of both people in front of her. Her breath hitched at the sudden attention. Her voice started to falter a little bit, "I-I'm sorry. I-I'm Kinomoto Sakura…pleasure meeting you. Um…I think I should…leave you two alone. Please excuse me." She gave a small bow and headed outside. She didn't want to meddle into personal, family affairs.

"What is the matter with you?" Shaoran asked bluntly.

"What? I'm only doing my part as your fiancée." Meiling replied. She tried acting sweetly but it seemed to make Shaoran's expression darker.

He took a step forward and said in a low, calm voice, "You are not going to mistreat her in any way. It's my job to protect her. I'll be damned if I fail just because of your fucking meddling. I might just forget you are my cousin."

Meiling crossed her arms in front of her. "How come your 'job'," her eyes turned to a mocking gaze, "How come you're all worked up? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're becoming personal with your charge."

Shaoran clenched his teeth together to stop himself from losing control. His features hardened, "I'm warning you, Meiling," his voice cold, "Don't get yourself involved in some thing you don't fucking know. Don't expect me to save you from the shit you might get yourself in to."

"I can take care of myself, Xiao Lang. You forget…I'm a Li too. As long as she keeps her hands to herself, I won't have a reason to go after her."

"You're simply impossible." Shaoran said under his breath. "Go home, Meiling, and get a life, not mine." He told her as he walked out of the room, leaving Meiling.

XxXxXx

Sakura tried to walk out of there with as much dignity as she could. She tried not to make noise as to draw any more attention to herself than what was happening. Once she had closed the door behind her, she let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding.

As she walked away from the room, she felt her phone vibrate. Not many people knew she had a phone. She quickly got it, thinking that it could be Yukito or even by some twist of fate, her brother, telling her that everyone was safe at the moment. But when she opened the message, her eyes widened and her features paled.

"_Isn't it a lovely sight? He's pleased to see you too. If you grant us a private concert tomorrow, we would love it very much. Tell your boy friend he should play nice or he might receive some proper conduct lectures privately. See you soon, sweet blossom. I am, for one, dying to see you." _A picture of Touya was attached. He seemed unconscious. He was bound, slumping over a chair. His face showed bruises. There was slight blood staining his clothes.

For a moment, Sakura just stared. Her brain was having a hard time processing the information as real.

"Sakura-chan? Are you alright?" Wei's concerned voice came, snapping her out if her thoughts.

Sakura shut her phone and forced a smile. "Yes, Wei-san. Thank you for your concern. I was just surprised at…how…beautiful the area has been prepared." She suddenly said as an excuse. He was a terrible liar. Watching the older man's expression, she was nervous that he wasn't buying it.

"Are you sure? You look pale, my dear."

"Y-yes." Her voice cracked. "It seems I must have done something wrong though." She added as her voice turned sullen. "I might have offended Meiling and how…I think she and Shaoran are fighting. That's why I left the room…I don't like it when people hate me…"

She then returned her gaze to his, "Is there something I can help you with? Something you need to do?" She turned away shyly and blushed. "I-I want to help…it seems I'm a burden…I don't want to be a burden."

Wei smiled at the young woman in front of him. "Why don't you come with me to the gardens, my dear? I'm about to tend to the flowers."

Sakura looked up and nodded, following him to the gardens while quickly hiding her phone. She stopped before stepping out. The view from Shaoran's study was beautiful but the view from where she stood was simply breath taking. She hadn't noticed how much flowers have actually bloomed there. She felt herself smile. She looked over at Wei and walked towards him.

"It's a very, very beautiful garden." She commented. From the corner of her eye, she saw a pot of different herbs. She walked over and smelled the freshness of the herbs. "You grow your own herbs too? It's really quite lovely." When she smelled the rosemary, it brought back memories from her childhood of family dinners. Her father loved to use rosemary in his cooking. He said, aside from the taste, the smell was simply heartwarming.

XxXxXx

Once Shaoran left the room, he was compelled to look for Sakura. He wanted to apologize of how his cousin had treated her. He wondered where she could be. He saw the terrace doors that led to the gardens open. He couldn't help but venture there. As the soft, white curtains were blown by the wind, it carried with it the delicate voice of the one he was looking for.

He stood by the entrance. He saw her admiring the flowers and herbs closely. The sincerity of her smile and the glint in her eyes were something he had never seen of her. It held much innocence and warmth that led him to wonder more how much pain she really held back.

"Master Shaoran has a very difficult work. This garden, I maintain it to help him calm his mind when he is at home." Wei explained. Sakura straightened out and looked back.

"You really take good care of him. Shaoran is lucky."

Wei smiled. "I think of him as my own son. I've watched him grow up. As to why I know that you didn't do anything wrong, my child." From where he stood, Shaoran tensed a little bit, _What are they talking about? _"I doubt you did some thing to offend the Young Master. As for Meiling, well she is always like that with women who come close to Master Shaoran who isn't related by blood. But she is a very sweet child. As for you, young one, please do not think of yourself as a burden. I cannot speak for Master Shaoran, but I believe he will tell you the same thing."

Somehow, his words made her feel relieved. She smiled. If only he knew the real story behind everything. If only she could tell him all the things that made up her nightmares. If only she had the courage to open everything up to Shaoran…she knew that she had to soon. It was getting to be heavy but she told herself that she could bear the weight for a bit longer.

From hearing what Wei had said, Shaoran saw it fit to come out from where he was standing. "Hey Sakura," He said. He noticed her freeze a little bit when he called her. She still smiled at him though.

Wei excused himself, leaving the two to talk. Shaoran never took his eyes off her. Once they were completely alone, he said, "Listen, I'm sorry for what happened earlier."

"It's ok. I mean, it's a personal thing and it's not my business. You don't need to apologize."

"Yes. But still how she dealt with the situation wasn't called for. I'm sorry for that."

"I understand." She smiled up at him and turned to look at the flowers beside her. She let her hand touch the delicate petals. "Like I said, no need to apologize. I mean…I definitely understand why she is possessive of you. I would be too if I had a fiancé like you." She turned back at him and gave him a gentle smile.

After a brief moment of silence, Shaoran replied, "She's not my fiancé." He saw the sudden confusion in her eyes. He wasn't even sure what prompted him to correct her comprehension. "She's my cousin…just my cousin. It's a Chinese tradition to be arranged to be married but it's not real…especially to me."

She looked at him. It was obvious that he wasn't comfortable explaining such things so she decided to say, "Ok. I still don't understand but please don't find the need to explain. To make you feel better, I'm just going to say it again. It's ok. It's none of my business."

After a moment of silence passed them, Shaoran said, "I'm going to head out." Sakura was about to say something and prepare to come with him when he said, "You're staying here." He could tell the protest in her eyes. "You are safer here. No one knows that you are here. Wei will watch over you. I will be back right away."

Sakura contemplated his words. She knew that it was better not to argue this time. She knew that he was right. If she came with him to where he was going, it might jeopardize everything and it might get more people killed. "Alright," She said, taking a step forward towards him. "I'll stay. Here. Let me give you my cell phone number. Not many people know it or even are aware that I have one. I'm not so comfortable you going out on your own without Yukito-san or Eriol. I presume you haven't had luck contacting them judging from your expression."

Shaoran looked at her and smirked. "Since when did you have a phone?"

"Does it matter? Aside from you, the only people who know about it are Tomoyo, Yukito-san, my great-grandfather, my aunt and my brother."

"Then why tell me now?"

"I told you already."

"I'm taking you couldn't get a hold of Yukito too." She simply smiled, a sad smile. "Anyway, stay inside the house. Like I said, you'll be safe here. Just don't mind Meiling."

"Meiling is far from my problems. I think you understand that by now." He said nothing. "Can I borrow your violin?" He nodded and left her.

XxXxXx

His fingers were busy typing fast on the keyboard. Loud music was blaring in the background. He was working on his 'latest' hit…his latest 'game'. He was one of the country's talented computer programmers, responsible for more than half of the latest security, fail-safe software, aside from being Shaoran's close friend.

"Hey," He somehow heard Shaoran say as he was tapped on his shoulder.

"Hey," He answered back. "What brings you here?"

Shaoran sat next to him. His face didn't betray anything. "Kinomoto Sakura." That was all that he said at the moment. He looked at his friend to check for any signs of recognition. He didn't want to divulge any information that would jeopardize her safety unless he knew for a fact that it was safe.

"The famous musician? What about her?" His friend asked, not looking up from the computer monitor. When Shaoran didn't answer right away, he looked up and smirked. "Don't tell me you finally took my advice and got yourself a girl friend?"

Shaoran's expression hardly changed. "She's in danger. I need your help." He said.

No words were spoken for a moment then came a female voice calling, "Takashi, are you home? I got those-oh hi Shaoran. I didn't know you were here."

"Hey Chiharu," Shaoran replied.

"What's up? It's been awhile since you came around." Chiharu commented as she placed a stack of magazines next to her boy friend.

Yamazaki smirked as he leaned back on his chair and turned to face the stoic man. He then said, "What's up is I think Shaoran here has finally listened to my advice and got himself a girl friend."

Shaoran said nothing as Chiharu's eyes widen fractionally. "What? No way! It's about time!" She said.

"She's not my girl friend. But listen, I do need your help." Shaoran answered as coolly as possible as he met Chiharu's gaze. "Could you do me a favor and buy some clothes? Her built is much like you. Here, use my credit card."

Chiharu eyed Shaoran for awhile as she took the credit card. "My built huh? Can I at least ask who the girl is so that probably I can thank her for bringing the generous side of you."

"She's not my girl friend. She's my charge. Her name is Kinomoto Sakura."

With that, he received a shocked Chiharu looking back at him. He inwardly groaned. "No, shit? The Kinomoto Sakura?" She said. Shaoran only gave her a curt nod. Chiharu grinned and looked back at Shaoran with a glint of teasing in her eyes. The look only reminded Shaoran how her and Yamazaki's relationship seemed to last.

"If she's only your charge, how come you are giving me your credit card to go shopping for clothes that are obviously for her?"

Shaoran let out a sigh as he leaned back. "Obviously she has nothing to wear coz that is what clothes are for. Besides, I don't need to justify anything when it comes to my work. Will you do me the favor or would you rather try and tease me? I can always get someone else to do it."

"Sheesh...ok ok. I'm going. No need to bite my head off. But you know if I didn't know any better I'd say this is more than a job." Chiharu said as she turned to leave.

Yamazaki, who had kept quiet for a while, smirked. He then said, "She's right, you know. You're actually buying clothes for her. That's big especially for someone like you."

Shaoran chose not to glorify him with an answer. Honestly, he didn't know what the big deal was. They were just clothes. He couldn't let Sakura go through the next few days without any clean clothes. He doubted that she was comfortable in his clothes. His clothes...seeing her in his clothes seeme like the most natural thing in the world. He wondered if he would allow other people to wear his clothes. Whenever Meiling came over for a visit, not once did he lend her his clothes. His silent reverie was broken when Yamazaki started addressing him.

"So what do you need me to do? Hire a priest?" Yamazaki said.

Shaoran smirked. He then took out a flash drive and handed it to Yamazaki. "There are surveillance videos here. There are a lot of footage. I need your help in narrowing them down. Also, I need your help in analyzing them."

"Don't tell me that the government is under paying your department as you can't have it analyzed in your lab?" Yamazaki said as he took the flash drive and hooked it to his computer.

Shaoran smirked again and replied, "What can I say? The bastards that run the lab right now are only going to whine instead of getting the word done right away. They are more incompetent than they seem to project the public." He couldn't tell Yamazaki that he couldn't trust the people at work. For one, they didn't know that the copy existed from what he knew, not to mention that he had a feeling that he couldn't trust them. Sakura's words had rang clear in his head, _don't trust anyone. _It got him thinking that she was referring to work. The question now was _why._

"Gee, that statement of yours is really making me trust the justice system of the country." Sarcasm covered every word Yamazaki uttered in reply. "It's going to take awhile. I hope you told you're girl friend that you'll be late coz you'll be here awhile."

Shaoran said nothing. He took out his laptop and opened Sakura's case file. He wanted to go through everything again. She had told him that in her statement, she had left a few things hanging. Something felt off and now his gut was telling him that it was more factual than he would care to admit. It seemed that the one responsible is a very powerful, influential person if he made her afraid to talk.

He then opened Mizuhara Akito's file. Some answers must be there. Sakura and Tomoyo's case wouldn't have started if it weren't for that man. If anything, Shaoran knew that it was wise to review Mizuhara's case now. Maybe just maybe there were things there that would start pulling things together.

Mizuhara Akito. 45 years, served as a Tomoeda Metropolitan Police for 24 years, he sent in his resignation the year before because of unknown reasons…until recently. He had contacted Shaoran secretly. He had watched the young man ever since he had entered the force. He knew that Shaoran had honor and was trustworthy. He knew that Shaoran and his new partner Eriol were working on cases that were related to the Blood Triad.

He left the force because he saw something one day that he shouldn't have. He was on night patrol. He was driving along the streets checking to see if all was right, ready for anything. It was supposed to be like any other night, any other shift…boring. But something caught his eye.

He slowed down. At first, nothing. It was all dark. The only light that illuminated the area was the light coming from the streetlamps. There was this eerie feeling in the air that made the skin crawl. He turned off his car and waited to see if he would be able to catch any movements again.

After what seemed like forever, Mizuhara thought that he was hallucinating and that his lack of caffeine was affecting his system. He was ready to reprimand himself when he saw movement at the corner of his eye and this time when he turned to look, he saw men moving! He could feel his eyes widen, more awake than ever as he strained to see what was going on.

Finally giving up, he took out his flashlight and started to make his way towards the other men. He didn't have a partner that night. His partner was at the hospital, recovering from a sickness. He knew that if he called it in and waited for back up, he would miss what was happening so decided to go by himself and check it, apprehend when he needed to.

Mizuhara made his way towards the docks and hid himself, careful in not making a sound. As he watched the things in front of him unfold, he finally figured that the men he saw were transferring crates of guns, drugs and humans. He was too stunned to think about what he could do. In all his years in the force, never had he witnessed something like that. He watched as what seemed to be advanced weaponry were smuggled into Japanese soil. He saw drugs that were worth millions, even billions of yen being shipped to shore, prepared in different trucks that seemed to be delivered in different areas.

But what made his stomach churn was the fact that in those big delivering holders were live people, mostly women and children, scared out of their minds being forced out and placed in different vans. He was witnessing human trafficking. Those who fought were mercilessly gunned down in front of everybody. Those men didn't even flinch.

The image of the men burned in his mind. The man with reddish brown hair who had a scar to his left eye. The man who had a distinctive snake tattoo on his neck. The man who had spiky hair. All of them seemed young but they were very deadly and ruthless, they had the faces of experienced killers.

Pretty soon, a black car rolled in and out stepped a man who was fairly built. Mizuhara guessed that his age could be around late forties to early thirties. From what he could hear, he could tell that they weren't Japanese, they were Chinese to be in fact, although some of the armed men were given orders in Japanese, quickly telling Mizuhara that even Japanese nationals were involved.

Mizuhara continued to watch and listen, finally gathering the name Yu Fa Lei, Blade, Serpent and Anubis as the ones heading the operation. His blood then ran cold when he saw, then still alive, assistant to the chief of police, Yamaguchi Reizo. He was there conversing easily with the men.

Mizuhara submitted his resignation the next day, not telling anybody what he saw or heard. A year elapsed but when his family was caught in a random gang fight, killing his son instantly, and placed his wife and daughter in critical conditions only to die later, because of weapons that were similar to those he saw that night, he decided to come clean. He met up with Shaoran and told him everything. He was brought into the witness protection program, given a new identity and his location remained confidential to everyone except his protection officer, who was later found dead. Soon after that news, reports of what happened at Asturias began surfacing.

Shaoran and Eriol, as well as other officers, had raced there in an attempt to save Mizuhara, only to find him dead and ended up saving Kinomoto Sakura and Daidouji Tomoyo.

XxXxXx

"What do you want to do now? They are certainly going to expect us during the concert. I hear she still plans on going through with it." Aro asked.

Yu Fa Lei smirked and replied, "Excellent. I look forward to hearing the little cherry blossom's music. It is surely going to be a very, very memorable evening." He looked over his shoulder at Touya. He smirked at the man who was currently bound to the chair, in the same position as in the picture that was sent to Sakura.

(to be continued…)

Again, I apologize for re-writing the story but it will give way to a better and more cohesive ending and story. Thanks for reading. Please do send in a review. I really, really would like to know what you think. Thanks.

Michiko


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Shaoran," Came Yamazaki's voice. "I think I got something interesting." Shaoran looked at his direction before he stood and walked over. Not even glancing up, Yamazaki started, "Look at this. This is the clip at around 13:30. It seems it was around that time that Kinomoto Sakura and her female companion entered the building. Then check these shots from another surveillance camera. At around 13:37, they entered the empty ball room where they stayed for 41 minutes and 56 seconds. They head over to the nearest female rest room. Nothing interesting right? Well, as I analyzed some of the videos of the same time signature and after the time they entered the rest room, most video feed had been tampered."

"Tampered? Tampered how?"

Yamazaki straightened a little bit to loosen his aching shoulder muscles. "Someone was providing another 'live' feed."

"Meaning what we are seeing isn't exactly what was happening." Shaoran said as he himself straightened out.

"Bingo!" Yamazaki commented as he turned his chair a bit and looked up at Shaoran. "I know what you are going to ask so I already took the liberty of sorting it out and trying to recover the actual footage. It won't be too hard but it will take time. I'll let you know what I turn up,"

Shaoran gave a nod just as Chiharu came in with shopping bags of clothes. "I wasn't sure about her taste in clothes so I bought what I would have liked." Shaoran eyed her a bit as he took his credit card. "Don't worry. They're decent so that you won't be worrying about other guys looking at your girl the wrong way. Although with that beauty of hers, I doubt other guys will be able to resist looking especially if she was able to attract the most stubborn bachelor of all Japan, Li Shaoran."

He chose not to comment. He took the shopping bags and thanked them before he left.

XxXxXx

With Shaoran gone, Sakura tried to stay clear from Meiling. She didn't want to aggravate the situation. Armed with Shaoran's permission and Wei pretty much not allowing her to help with the house work, Sakura chose to remain in his study, practicing using his violin.

As always, she tried to drown all her problems to concentrate on her music. At first, she felt quite frustrated because she couldn't achieve the tone and feelings she was going for. She was still getting used to his violin. It felt foreign to her fingers. It felt off.

After a few tries, she stopped and sighed. She was getting nowhere and fast. Not to be defeated, she placed the violin down and started to put up her hair in a quick, not so messy and formal bun. She then took the violin again and took a deep, calming breath.

Sakura allowed her mind to find this peace as she had done a million times whenever she was to play. She didn't allow herself to think as her fingers started to move. It was Paganini in its finest. She was so absorbed with her playing that she failed to notice the door behind her open.

Meiling stood there, silently watching the girl playing by the open doors leading to the garden. She was moved to admiration as she realized the girl had an uncanny talent towards music. Perhaps it was this music that had enchanted her cousin.

"Never have my ears heard music as powerful and heartfelt as what I am hearing now." Came Wei's voice as he stood next to Meiling, watching Sakura.

Meiling glanced Wei momentarily before looking back at Sakura. "Wei, can I ask you something?"

"Of course, my child."

"Do you think that she will be capable of bringing Shaoran back?"

After his parents were killed years ago, Shaoran had changed. He seldom trusted nor cared about other people aside from his family. To earn his trust became an almost impossible feat. He closed himself, rarely smiling openly, never revealing his pain or fears, just never the same again. It had seemed that a part of him had died with his parents.

It was like watching him grow inward, reachable yet so far away. No matter what Wei or Meiling did or say, it was never the same.

The sort of detachment grew when he had learned the truth. He learned that his parents were killed, murdered. They were murdered because they were viewed as a threat. Their power and influence over Hong Kong and its economy were viewed as a threat by a steadily growing syndicate.

For safety reasons, it became a necessity for Shaoran to move. He and Wei moved to Japan. Although the murderers have been found, tried and convicted during the span of the first years after the murders, Shaoran decided not to go back but to remain in Japan. Even if he remained the sole heir of his parents' company, he opted not to return and vowed to pursue a profession related to law. His parents killers may have been caught but the real mastermind behind it had never been found. He promised himself that he will hunt them down and in the process, take down whatever scum he could find, never allowing what happened to him happen to other innocent people.

Wei looked at Meiling and smiled. "I don't know, my child. It seems like Sakura-chan has this silent, honest charm that has brought out something from the Young Master. It is early to speculate but I've seen subtle changes in him. Perhaps it is nothing but who knows, my child. If he is able to open up the wounds of the past, perhaps he could finally let it go and live."

Meiling nodded and stayed silent as she watched the skill of the violinist do her magic. Wei left her be. He knew Meiling's silent question. It seemed that he wasn't the only one who noticed something different of Shaoran. His eyes did hold this intensity that he hadn't seen in a long time. Aside from the usual determination, he saw this intensity he knew was due to something hitting close to his past.

XxXxXx

Yukito was driving down the road, destination just outside the boundaries to Tomoeda. He was lucky to have gotten away from the airport alive. As Shaoran took Sakura out of there, he searched for a way out. It was a bloody gun battle. He almost wasn't able to get out of there alive. He had received a couple of gunshot wounds but none were fatal.

Thinking about the incident, he wondered why it took a very long time for the police to respond. It was all over the news and everything but reviewing the actual response time, Yukito was certain that it was beyond the normal response time, even when the traffic factor was considered. There was something going on. His gut told him that there was something deadly lurking in the shadows. With that in mind, Yukito decided not to seek any medical attention in any hospital nor go back to the office. Maybe it was instincts that were dictating his actions now but he knew that it was the right course of action. He was certain that if he sought medical attention or went back, he would be followed and who knows what would happen then.

His thoughts then drifted off towards Touya. He could only wish that he was doing fine wherever he was. He could not go after him without a plan. He knew that would be suicide. Then, his thoughts drifted towards Sakura. In less than 24 hours, she was going to perform her concert. He knew that she was serious in going to continue with it. Even if he was still very much worried about her, he was slightly confident that no immediate harm would come to her as long as she was with Shaoran and Eriol.

Yukito's grip tightened on the stirring wheel. He wanted to curse whoever was the one responsible for harming the Kinomoto siblings. He was there years ago when everything changed. Touya had invited him over for dinner that night since his grandparents were out of town. He was with Touya when they discovered the murdered bodies of Nadeshiko and Fujitaka. He was there when Touya found the crouching, shaking Sakura in the tree house they had made. He was there during the cremation and burial. He witnessed the drastic change that happened to Sakura and how she painfully got back on her feet, clinging to her music.

Touya had been his best friend ever since elementary when he had moved to Tomoeda with his grandparents. He had never met his parents. His mother had died during childbirth while his father never showed any interest in him. He had lived with his maternal grandparents ever since.

The Kinomotos had been like a second family of his. He treated Touya like the brother he never had, with Sakura his only beloved sister. Watching a carefree, bubbly Sakura turn into a delicate person who sealed away her voice through the years was very painful and had vowed to help protect her, thus leading to his decision to become a detective.

As he drove off, Yukito fixed his priorities. He needed to have his wounds checked out. Even though he had done his best to treat them on his own, he needed professional medical help and he only knew one person whom he could trust, Ruby Moon. Once he had that done, he would take it from there.

XxXxXx

"I'll admit," Came Meiling's voice from behind, causing Sakura to stiffen. "You have talent with that thing."

Sakura turned around and saw her watching her from the doorway with her arms crossed. Meiling noticed that she stiffened when she heard her, a fact that made her inwardly grin. She started to walk towards her.

Sakura set the violin down on the table and watched as the girl approached her. "Li-san," Sakura said.

Meiling stood near Sakura. "Listen, I came to apologize for earlier. It was wrong of me to get involved especially since Shaoran is working hard on a case involving you."

To say that she was stunned at the very least was an understatement. She hadn't expected an apology come from Meiling, much less have her talk to her at the very moment.

"There is nothing to apologize for. It was a family matter between the two of you. It has nothing to do with me. I hardly know either of you too well." Sakura replied, somewhat softly.

"Like I said, it was wrong of me to judge something without knowing anything and acted upon that."

Sakura smiled at the girl. She could tell that she was having trouble with the conversation. In a way, she was very much like Shaoran. "You acted to protect him. It's only natural. Perhaps, if I were in your shoes, I would have acted the same way."

"Hey are you telling me you have feelings for Shaoran? Because I can tell you-"

"Oh no, no. It's not like that." Sakura quickly said as to pacify whatever it was Meiling was thinking she was saying. She didn't want her to misjudge what she was trying to say. She quickly tried to think of the right words to rectify the situation. She tried to shake off the feeling that it was due to her unpracticed verbal skills that she was having problems now.

"All I'm saying," Sakura started. "I know that you acted like that to protect him. I can understand why. I grew up with good looking men whom are gentlemen. Of course I don't want them to simply be with just anybody. I want them to be happy, while being sure that the girl they end up with won't take advantage of them."

Meiling seemed to accept her answer. "Anyway, I don't know about you but I'm bored. I'm also finding it stuffy in here. You want to go out and pretend to at least be friends?"

Her proposal took Sakura by surprise. It really did seem that Meiling had a strong personality. "Um...I can't leave here. I-I promised Shaoran I wouldn't. He also told me not to leave."

"I know. All I'm saying is walk outside at the garden." Meiling replied, kind of stressing the last part, adding a little sarcasm to the words.

After realizing what Meiling meant, Sakura flushed a little bit, reprimanded herself for being stupid. It was embarrassing to misunderstand something as simple as that.

She smiled and took the offer. They sat at the garden. Sakura was being silent although she allowed traces of a smile on her lips. She wasn't exactly sure how to converse with Meiling. She slightly felt intimidated with her.

"You're intimidated by me, aren't you?" Came Meiling's voice. It took Sakura completely by surprise. Was she that readable? Her mind scrambled for an answer. Meiling grinned a bit as she watched the conflicting emotions at the eyes of the girl across from her. Her face was showing grace but her eyes were in conflict. "It's ok. It's not the first time." Meiling suddenly said to somehow ease Sakura's mind.

"I'm sorry…" Sakura said quietly. She couldn't help but feel guilty and slightly ashamed. A tiny tint of pink stained her cheeks.

Meiling let out a sigh and said, "You know what you're too stiff. Why don't you just let loose?"

Sakura looked up at Meiling, not really understanding what she had just said. Stiff? No one has ever told her that. She wasn't sure what that meant.

"Meiling," Wei suddenly said, making his presence felt to the two girls. He was carrying a tray of tea and sweets. He set it down before speaking again, "Let us allow Sakura-chan to simply be herself as you are you. She is far from home so let us try and make her feel more comfortable, shall we?"

He then looked at Sakura. He met her gaze. He could tell as how she looked at him that she was conveying a thank you. He smiled back, which she returned. This time, Meiling felt a little embarrassed and apologized. Wei then left the two.

"Li-san, can I ask you a question?" Sakura said, quite unsure of herself. Meiling turned to her, waiting for the question. "Will you come to my concert tomorrow?"

The said girl was stunned at the request. "What's with this all of a sudden?" She asked. It was simply so sudden. She couldn't help but wonder why.

"Well, I thought that you wouldn't mind being Shaoran's date. You don't mind, do you?"

"Why didn't you say so in the first place? Of course!" Meiling answered, making Sakura smile. She knew that Shaoran would kill her for even making the suggestion but one thing that Sakura was sure of, Meiling could take care of herself and she could help Shaoran get away if it came to that. The threat of what was going to happen the next day was weighing itself in her head. She wanted to make sure that her protector could be saved. She will not allow him to lose his life because of her.

"You know what, I can tell that we are going to be friends. So, for the record, it's Meiling. Simply Meiling." The girl said rather enthusiastically. She was sure that Sakura didn't think of Shaoran that way so it was all good with her. With what she talked with Wei earlier, perhaps he was right when he said that it could probably be nothing. Shaoran was a professional so it couldn't mean anything more than that, right? At least this new girl who happens to be a great violinist understood that. They continued chatting, only this time, it was more comfortable than forced.

XxXxXx

It was already deep into the night when Shaoran arrived home. It seemed that everyone had already gone off to bed. He went over to the guest bedroom and slowly opened the door, mindful as to not wake up Sakura. He knew that she was exhausted with her ordeal from the last few days and lack of rest. He also knew that her concert was in less than 24 hours so she needed the rest.

Carrying the shopping bags, he walked over to the night stand by the bed. He then set the shopping bags by the floor. He had every intention to leave but then, as with any guardian watching over his guard, he had an impulse to glance over at his charge, just to make sure that she was alright.

The look Sakura had on told him that her sleep was not peaceful. He knew that she was being plague again by her memories. He couldn't help but empathize with her. He knew fully well that she was in pain, something that couldn't easily be taken away by conventional medicine.

Whatever made him sit by the bed and gently push away the stray hair on her face was beyond him. Her skin seemed a little cold and from the moonlight that came through the window, he noticed that her skin was flushed and pale. It only intensified his belief that she was indeed having her nightmares. Shaoran wasn't sure how he knew but somehow he felt that it wouldn't be long now before she would wake up screaming.

"Sakura," He gently called to her, hoping to arouse her gently. "Sakura," He called again. Her head turned a little bit and soon her eyes fluttered open and shut, before the final shreds of sleep escaped her eyes. She gazed up at him. "I didn't want you to wake up screaming. You were having nightmares again." His voice came. Sakura then sat up. She looked back at him again.

"Thank you…" She replied in a soft voice. She too didn't want to wake up screaming again. Her heart was already beating so fast. As she took deep breaths to calm down, she could tell that he was watching her carefully, waiting for her to feel better.

"You ok?" He asked.

Sakura took a deep breath and nodded. She knew she was far from ok but she didn't want to talk about anything related to it. Shaoran looked at her, knowing full well that she was lying. He smirked. He knew that she was far from being ok. She opened her eyes and noticed that he was still looking at her. She broke the gaze and looked elsewhere. She then noticed that there were bags by the bed.

"They are clothes for you. I'm sure you'll feel more comfortable in them than in my clothes." Shaoran quickly said.

Sakura could feel herself blush. She never expected him to do something like that for her. Well, she wasn't exactly expecting him to do that. "T-thank you."

"As for tomorrow, I'll be with you the entire day. We will be staying here until about two hours before your concert."

She looked up at him and said, "Can…can I return to my apartment?" The look on his face told her that she needed to explain and fast. "My dress…the one Tomoyo-chan prepared for me to use for the concert is there…and so is my violin."

"Ok. Are you sure you would like to return?"

She knew full well his concern. She didn't want to return there just yet but she didn't have a choice. She gave him a nod. She was tempted to tell him about her brother and the message. It was already at the tip of her tongue but then she held onto it. She could guess what his reaction would probably be. She shuddered at the thought of their situation getting worse if she slipped up by telling him.

Shaoran never let his gaze fall from her. He was studying her gaze, her body language, her unspoken message. He knew that she was frightened like hell. "You don't have to do this, you know? I can go alone. It couldn't be that hard."

It made Sakura smile. It was small but genuine. "I appreciate the thought, Shaoran, but it is something that I must do. I have to face my fears sooner or later right?"

"Yeah but it's your concert in a few hours. It's not wise to deal with trauma before then."

"Honestly," She started, locking with Shaoran's gaze. She was hoping to make him understand. "Those strong emotions are what I'm going for. The pieces I chose are Paganini's. 1, 5, 9 and 21. Those are the caprice I chose. I changed it…to fit the situation quite nicely."

"Shaoran, you told me a few days ago to keep living…to find this normalcy as possible. I will admit…frightened is an understatement. I am scared out of my mind. I can't even close my eyes without fearing what I will see…the memories…the nightmares… music is all I have. Please allow me to go back to feel what I am supposed to and get what I need. It's hard to swallow but this is my life now."

"Alright. I'll bring you back. We will stop by before heading to your concert site. I have a feeling that from the moment we step back at your apartment, they will be following us."

"Did you find something out when you left?"

"Nothing of value yet."

Sakura could only nod her head. "I don't know how to repay you for everything, Shaoran, especially for protecting me and saving my life."

"It's my job, Sakura. There is no need for that."

"Ok. Tomorrow…I mean in a few hours…please don't kill me."

Shaoran smirked and replied, "Why would I kill you? I don't know if you hadn't noticed but I just told you that it's my job to protect you."

"Then keep that in mind, Shaoran, because…" Sakura inwardly gulped. She wasn't sure what reaction she would be getting from him once she told him. "Well…I…sort of…invited…Meiling to the concert…as your date…"

Shaoran didn't see that one coming. He hid his expression, trying to keep his voice steady and calm. "Why would you do that?"

"N-nothing really…she seems…nice. After you left…she was nice. We talked and…I thought…you wouldn't mind."

"Liar," He said after scrutinizing her answer and her face.

Her head snapped back to look at him in surprise. She saw him smirk. "You are a very lousy liar. Even if I only know you for a few days I can tell that you are lying to me. It's very unusual for you to lie to me. What is it?" His gaze grew more serious, harder.

"I-I'm not lying to you. It's the truth." She reasoned.

"Sakura," His voice was calm but very serious. It gave her chills down her spine.

Sakura felt a little trapped. She felt this need to back up a little bit from his gaze. He kept her gaze locked with his. She couldn't turn away. She simply leaned back the headboard behind her. She bit her lip. He wasn't saying anything. It seemed that he wasn't going to leave her until she told him the truth. She mentally kicked herself for even bringing up the subject. She couldn't believe that he was able to corner her like that. Now she understood why Yukito regarded him one of the best.

They weren't getting anywhere. Shaoran stood up and told her, "Get some rest, Sakura."

As soon as he let the room, she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She felt her heart beating fast. She closed her eyes and watched her breathing, hoping that it would slow down the beating of her heart. She lay back down to bed and pulled the covers up her body. Sakura snuggled a little bit, trying to get herself comfortable. Her body was tired and she could feel it but her thoughts were keeping her wide awake.

So much was going on. It felt like a lifetime already even if in reality, it was only a few days. She closed her eyes, hoping it was enough to make her fall asleep. But the attempt was futile. Sakura kept tossing and turning before finally resigning to lay on her back and look at the ceiling. She glanced at the clock at the night stand. It blared in clear red, 3:45 AM. _Great. _She told herself. She knew that she wouldn't be able to sleep now.

She decided to get up from bed. She made her bed, not wanting to make Wei do it for her in the next few hours. She started to go through the bags that Shaoran had left. She turned on the lights to see better. She frowned as she looked at the contents of each bag. It wasn't that she didn't like what she saw it was just…how did he know her size? From an article of clothing to the other, she held it up and knew that the sizes were just right. She also noticed that some of the pieces weren't exactly cheap.

Sakura took out all the clothes from the bags and neatly folded them on the bed. She let out an exasperated breath. She had these beautiful clothes in front of her. Not only did they seem the right size, but the type of clothing and the designs were almost at par with her taste. She wondered now who Shaoran really was.

She decided on a pair of jeans and a soft pink tank top with pink lace sewn at the bottom making it look more elegant in its simplicity. She stripped herself off the clothes and stepped inside the hot shower. It started to sooth her tense muscles but it wasn't enough to wash away the pain that had been building for the last few days. She glanced down on her thighs, just above her knees. Bruises were still dark and blue. She still had cuts on her legs. Bruises went up to her midsection, just below her breasts. They were all from when she was escaping.

Somehow she wondered how come her upper body was spared. She did could remember being held hard on her arms but didn't understand why they didn't bruise. Not that she was complaining but still she knew she could have gotten worse. She was only lucky. She could remember being told that those bruises went deep to her ribs but not enough to break them. They still hurt but would never let anyone know, especially Shaoran and the others. Sure they were aware of her bruises, it was hard for them not to know. They were given the medical report once she was checked and cleared to be fit for release that same night.

They were already worried for her physical safety and psychological state. She didn't want them to know that her body was in so much pain too. After enjoying the warmth of the shower for awhile, she stepped out and got dressed. By the time she finished, it was already past 4. Glancing the remaining clothes on the bed, she took it and placed in the cabinet. Not really knowing what to do, she stepped out of the room. She noticed that nobody was up yet. So she sighed and headed outside to the garden.

She sat on one of the chairs out there. The smell of the herbs and the early morning dew were enough to make her feel better. It reminded her of home. She missed her home. She missed her parents, her brother, her friends…her life. She wished all of these dangers were over. Sure it was nice to live with Shaoran at his house. He and Wei made sure she felt at home but still…it still felt different. Suddenly, the pang of home sickness was a little sharper than it was in the past.

Tears wanted to come down her eyes but she held on to them, reprimanding herself for even wanting to cry. She had to remind herself that she was no longer a little girl. She needed to face everything. She couldn't hide behind someone anymore. She had to learn to stand on her two feet.

Looking at the early morning sky, her mind drifted off towards her brother. She wondered how he was doing. She knew that he was still alive. She could feel it. She wanted to know, though, his current status. It was something she wished wasn't grave. He was her big brother after all. She didn't want to think that her almighty brother would simply succumb to weakness.

Even if Touya loved to tease her some times and scare her half to death when she was younger, she still loved him. After their parents' deaths, she grew closer to him, holding on to him, almost like a life-line. He became her strength then. That was also the time she noticed his protectiveness over her.

Sakura couldn't help but smile at the thought. Everything Yukito had said about her brother, she knew they were all true. He really did care for her a lot even if he could be a real pain some times. But she would never want Touya any other way.

She kept this faith that it would be over soon and her brother would come out of it alive. She knew he wasn't one to give up. It wasn't part of his personality.

Then there was Yukito. Sakura wondered how he was after she and Shaoran had to leave him at the airport. Neither she nor Shaoran had been able to get in contact with him and it was really worrying her. She didn't want him to suffering. She didn't like the feeling of not knowing if he was safe. Yukito was Touya's best friend and her second big brother. He was alway there to look after her, especially whenever her brother wasn't around that it felt troubling for him not to be there or contact her at the very least now.

She was so absorbed with her thoughts that she failed to notice that someone was walking towards her. Sakura nearly jumped from her seat when a hand touched her shoulder. She turned and breathed a sigh of relief when she realized it was Wei.

"Good morning, my dear. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." Wei said. He smiled at her warmly.

"Good morning, Wei-san. I'm sorry I'm so jumpy. I didn't realize that you are already awake." She replied.

The old man then ushered her inside. "It's still quite cold out here. Please let me prepare tea for you."

Sakura followed him to the kitchen. It seemed that he was about to prepare breakfast. "Wei-san, please let me help you prepare breakfast. Forgive me but...I...need to do something...to help calm my nerves. "

"I would appreciate the help very much." Wei replied with a smile. "So my child, you are up very early."

"I couldn't sleep that well."

Wei noticed that she was indeed quite tired still. He noticed that her eyes bore this sadness that she slowly was able to cover up. "An experienced violinist such as yourself is still nervous prior to a concert? Well, my child, forgive me for saying this but you should have more faith in your talent because from what we have been hearing yesterday, there isn't something to worry about."

Sakura couldn't help but smile. A blush rose to her cheeks. "Thank you, Wei-san for making me feel better. It's not really because I don't trust what I know I can do...it's just that I wish my brother can see me."

"I'm sure he will. Even if he is an accomplished pianist, you are still his sister. He will come to see you. "

Sakura gave him a small, sad smile. She told herself to brush the matter aside. She knew she had to worry about her performance later that day.

"Wei-san, can you teach me how to do that?" Sakura said to change the subject. Wei was currently frying some breaded shrimp for tempura.

"Of course, of course."

"I'm ok with the preparations but I'm...afraid of...oil."

Wei chuckled a little bit. He welcomed the shift in their conversation. It was a welcome relief. He showed her how. When it was her turn, her chopsticks were shaking a bit. It took a bit of coaxing to keep it gentle. "What I do is that during the actual cooking, lower down the fire. That way the oil won't be too much to handle." Wei said. Sakura nodded.

He laid a hand on her shoulder and said, "Frying is indeed something very challenging because it hurts if even a small amount of oil hits your skin. My dear, I was also afraid when I started cooking."

Sakura turned back at him. Her eyes grew a fraction wider. "But you're so good at it."

Wei let out a heartfelt chuckle. "It comes with practice, of course. It is basically the same as with violin playing. You get better the more you do it."

"In the mean time, I'll leave the frying to you, Wei-san. I don't want to mess it up. I'll finish the miso soup and the baking." Sakura said, making Wei laugh.

Just as they finished, Meiling came strolling into the kitchen. "Good morning." She chirped. She sat and Wei set a plate in front of her while Sakura offered her a cup of hot soup before proceeding to give her a freshly baked croissant.

"Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't you a guest here?" Meiling said.

Sakura blushed and answered, "I wanted something to do to occupy my head before later."

"Pre-concert jitters? You of all people?"

"What does that supposed to mean? Can't I get scared?"

Meiling laughed. She then commented, "You should have seen your expression."

Sakura only blushed again. She went on to sit beside Meiling. It was that time that Shaoran decided to show up. All throughout breakfast, Sakura kept quiet while Meiling kept on talking and Shaoran refusing to notice anything.

XxXxXx

Sakura opened her apartment door. She tried her best to keep her hands from shaking. She had let Shaoran go first and inspect the area. She was vaguely aware him telling her that it was all clear. Sakura walked over to her violin stand across the room. She took out the violin case from the closet nearby and placed it inside. She worked in silence. She felt his gaze on her.

Shaoran watched her every move, partly wondering how she was feeling at the moment. After their last talk, they were back to non-speaking terms. It was in a way frustrating. It was like all the trust that they were able to establish between each other had suddenly disappeared.

When she started to move towards her bedroom, Shaoran followed closely behind. He knew that the blood was still there. He knew that it might trigger another breakdown. He said nothing as he kept watch over her.

It was quiet. The tension was there though, thick enough to cut with a knife. Shaoran noticed that Sakura did her best to avoid the cabinet that held the decapitated head. He noticed that she stayed clear of there as much as possible as she sat at her vanity and fixed all the make-up and jewelry she would be needing for the concert. He noticed it wasn't much stuff but with her slowed actions, he could tell that she was slightly preoccupied with other things in her mind, not that he could blame her.

She then went over to the other side of the room, while placing the small bag on her bed. She opened a walk-in closet, something Shaoran didn't pay much attention to. He was slightly taken aback when he saw what was inside when she opened the door.

The closet was filled with beautiful dresses and elegant shoes were there too. Sakura took out a travel dress holder and walked out of the closet. She then noticed Shaoran looking.

"These are the dresses I wear to my concerts. Tomoyo-chan made most of these, including what I'd be wearing tonight." Sakura said as she laid it on the bed and walking back to retrieve her shoes and a shoulder bag.

He noticed her take out a box and placed it inside her shoulder bag. She then went on to place her jewelry and make-up kit in her bag as well. She slung the bag on her shoulder and took the dress.

When Sakura had placed the folder with her musical score inside her bag, Shaoran took the violin case before she could. She was surprised with the suddenness of his action.

"Let's get going." He said when their eyes met.

She could only nod. There was this coldness in his voice and much seriousness in his eyes. She was sure that he was frustrated. She didn't want to anger him more. He led her out of there. He led her in silence.

XxXxXx

Sakura sat there in front of the mirror. She had just finished dressing up and putting on some light make-up. As the concert neared, her heart seemed to beat faster and faster. It was harder than usual knowing what was about to happen and not having Tomoyo there like she usually did. She wanted to unleash the tears that were threatening to spill but told herself to be strong.

A knock was heard, snapping her from her thoughts. "Come in." She said.

XxXxXx

"Come in." He heard Sakura answer.

Shaoran opened the door. "Sakura," He started to say. He stopped when he laid his eyes on her. He didn't expect that. He saw her look at him from the reflection on the mirror. His breath hitched. She smiled at him warmly before turning around slowly.

"So? How do I look?" She said, standing up.

Shaoran noticed that she was blushing. He smirked as he closed the door behind him. He looked again. In a word, she looked radiant.

"You look beautiful, Sakura." He commented, making her blush a darker shade. He wasn't going to lie. Indeed, she was breath-takingly beautiful. Her dress was a simple tube dress, which flowed just above her ankles. It seemed black but upon the radiance of a light, it showed to be of dark green. There was a gold ribbon that mimicked the effect of an obi, accentuating her slim waist. A gold slip on sandals with heels dawned her feet.

Her jewelry were a gold necklace with an emerald pendant and a pair of matching emerald dangling earrings. Her hair was done up in a slight pony tail, where the ends of her straight hair were curled softly. Her eyes were stained with gold and bronze, making her green eyes pop out more. Her lips were stained with a light peach lip gloss. Aside, from that, she chose to keep things natural.

"T-thank you...Shaoran." Came her delicate voice, making him look at her straight in the eyes again.

He walked towards her. "It's almost time. I wanted to check on you before then." She nodded. "When you go out there, I don't want you to think about anything aside from your music. Don't think about the threats, the people out there to get you, your brother, Yukito, or even me. When you go out there, you only need to be yourself, got it? I will only be a few feet away from you. I will be backstage watching over you the entire time. You don't have to worry about anything."

Sakura smiled. Somehow, his words were the exact words that she needed to make her feel at ease. He reminded her of what Tomoyo used to tell her to calm her nerves. She then noticed that his tie wasn't that well kept. She stepped forward and took the liberty of fixing it. "I suppose you were in such a hurry getting dressed that even someone as neat as you failed to notice your tie isn't straight."

Given their close proximity, Shaoran stiffened a bit. He watched her work on his tie gently, re-doing it to make it look perfect. She had a small smile that graced her lips as she did her task. He could smell her perfume. It was gentle, a scent that suggested of cherry blossoms, fitting her perfectly.

"There...all better." Sakura said as she admired her work for awhile and stepped back, still smiling at him. Realizing how close they were, Sakura tried to hide her blush a bit. "Thank you, Shaoran. I'll give my best. I hope that even though you will be working, the music will be able to reach you too. It will be a...sort of...gratitude for what you have been doing for me."

The door suddenly opened. "There you are!" Meiling said. She then walked over the two. "Oh I love the dress. You should tell me where you got it. Or better yet, we should go shopping together." She told Sakura.

Sakura could only smile in response as Meiling continued, "I think I understand why there are so many people out there. Either they are captivated by your music or your looks." The comment made Sakura blush again.

"Or maybe both," Shaoran decided to say, teasing the girl as he smirked. In a way, Shaoran was grateful that Meiling came to break the ice. He could tell that Sakura was more than nervous. He wasn't good at making other people feel better. At least his annoying cousin was there.

Meiling playfully hit Shaoran's arm. "Even though I kind of agree...don't tease the poor girl. She's as red as a tomato."

Shaoran just smirked. Another knock came, making all three occupants of the room look. "We're about to start, Kinomoto-san. Please take your place at the stage."

Sakura gave a nod and turned to get her violin on the table. She had already tuned it earlier. She took the violin and the bow. She forced a smile towards Shaoran and Meiling, "This is it...wish me luck."

"You don't need it. Trust me." Meiling said as she and Shaoran followed her.

XxXxXx

Sakura stood at the middle of the stage. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Suddenly, she was in her own world. She couldn't hear anything but the thumping of her heart. She opened her eyes and only saw the light that flashed on her. She placed her violin on her shoulder and began.

XxXxXx

Shaoran stood there by the side of the stage. He watched her. It was as if she changed before his eyes. When she opened her eyes, gone were all the fear and the pain that he had been seeing in her eyes for the last few days. He saw this confidence that somehow made him proud of her.

As Sakura started, it was Paganini's caprice 1, just like she told him. He knew she was going to play caprice 1, 5, 9 and 21. As the melody of the first caprice drifted along the vast room, the silence shifted as gasps were heard and soon drowned by the music.

"I've heard her practice yesterday but it wasn't like this. It was more than good but it wasn't this...heartfelt." Meiling commented as she stood next to Shaoran.

He smirked. Yes. He knew exactly what she meant. He too had heard her play before but it wasn't this emotional. The sheer power of each note was beyond perfection. It was raw and intense, conveying all the emotions she held. He finally understood what she meant by her request to return to her apartment. He understood her reasons and admired her for not running away.

"Paganini's first caprice, L'Arpeggio." Shaoran replied. Meiling glanced slightly at him before glancing back at Sakura. For a moment there, she thought she saw a change in Shaoran's eyes, something she hadn't seen before.

_Paganini Caprice 1, nicknamed "L'Arpeggio", this composition matches chordal playing with ricochet across all 4 strings. It begins in E major and they quickly transitions into an E minor development section, where descending scales in thrids are introduced._

To an untrained ear, the transition Sakura made wouldn't have been obvious. She made it such a way that it seemed to flow continuously without any flaws or incompatibility.

Shaoran looked on along with Meiling, allowing his gaze to run along the crowd and all the surroundings, making sure that there wasn't anyone going to hurt Sakura. He then allowed his eyes to return to the silent talent a few feet away from him.

_Caprice 5, this caprice focuses on fast ricochet bowings. It begins with a section of ascending arpeggios followed by descending scales. _Shaoran could remember quite clearly what each caprice meant.

Once the music transitioned to caprice 9, Shaoran couldn't help but clench his fists as his jaw tightened. He glanced at Sakura. She had her eyes closed. She was in deep concentration.

Shaoran could tell that at that very moment, she expressed all her fear, pain and hidden suffering to what was happening to her. It was like she placed herself in 'the hunt' and was successfully conveying everything through her music.

_Nicknames "La Chasse" or "The Hunt", caprice 9 has the violin's A and E strings imitate the flutes ("Sulla tastiera imitando il flauto"), while the G and D strings imitate the horns ("imitando il Corno sulla D e G corda"). Primarily a study in double stops, with ricochet occurring in the middle section._

Shaoran couldn't help but look at the crowd. He saw that they felt what Sakura was sharing with all of them. Some of the ladies had tears in their eyes...some had a fist close to their chest...some clutched their male companions.

He glanced back at the girl he first thought as annoying and very weak. He thought that people were simply exaggerating the fact that she could convey emotions in her music that it creeps up to you unsuspectingly and enters the deep reccesses of your heart. He had been wrong as he stared in amazement at how she could do such a task. Maybe she hadn't been mute as people seemed to believe. Yes, she had only started speaking again since a few days ago, but it seemed she was already speaking for a much longer time than anyone believed.

_Caprice 21 begins with a very expressive, aria-like melody played in double-stopped sixths. This is followed by a section of rapid up-bow staccato._

As intense as 'the hunt' was, the last caprice was very mellow and hopeful. Her gentleness and grace started to come forth in her playing.

Shaoran couldn't help but smirk. It was Sakura's way of conveying that she wasn't going to give up. He looked over at the crowd again. More women had tears in their eyes as men too seemed moved by her music. He was starting to get suspicious though. There wasn't anything out in the ordinary. He couldn't tell who among the crowd who was part of the plan to take away this delicate cherry blossom.

He could tell that they would be attacking. He glanced back at Sakura. She still had her eyes closed. Somehow, her expression was more at peace now that it had been.

XxXxXx

As Sakura struck the last cord, everything was silent for a moment. Sakura opened her eyes, not really seeing for a while. When she heard silence, she was torn on what she would do. But slowly, people started clapping.

She couldn't help but feel relieved for some reason. Then, people started standing, clapping and cheering. The scene was overwhelming to her as she hugged her violin close and closed her eyes for a split second. She then gave a bow.

After a while, Sakura headed back stage. She had a bright smile when she caught sight of Shaoran and Meiling. She walked while her legs felt a little wobbly, trying very hard to keep walking.

When she reached them, she stopped. She smiled again, not really sure of what to say.

As it turned out, she didn't need to say anything. Meiling quickly gave her a tight hug and said, "Sakura-chan! That was so amazing!"

"T-thanks, Meiling...um...I...can't...breathe..." Sakura replied.

Meiling quickly let her go. "Sorry. Sorry." She said.

Sakura and Shaoran's gazes met. She smiled at him. He kept his stoic expression. He took a step towards her and said, "Do you socialize after concerts?"

Sakura shook her head. Shaoran noticed that there were some people who didn't sit right with him. It was instinct that was telling him that they weren't there to appreciate music but rather had other agenda in mind. Something was going on and he could feel it. He wanted to take her out of there as soon as possible.

He motioned her to follow him towards her dressing room. Meiling followed. Upon reaching the room, Shaoran opened the door for her and said, "Go on. Change. We'll leave as soon as you're done. I'll be here outside." She nodded.

Once inside, Shaoran closed the door. He saw Meiling smirking at him. He didn't say anything. Meiling crossed her arms in front of her. She lifted an eye brow and looked at her cousin.

"You're different, Xiao Lang."

"Ridiculous."

"Trust me, Xiao Lang, as much as you deny it I know you have changed." She then turned serious. "Remember, you shouldn't treat this at a personal level. You keep saying this is a job but it seems that you are slowly forgetting that."

"Don't tell me how to do my job, Meiling. I know what I am doing." He answered quite sternly.

XxXxXx

Sakura entered the room. It was a little dark at first. She went on and placed her violin down at the vanity across the room, guided by the lamp there. As she proceeded to open the other lights, she turned and her heart sank.

A hand quickly fell hard on her mouth, grasping her hard. A tall man stepped forward into the light as her eyes grew exponentially. His eyes were cold, murderous and black. She fell into his trap.

He held a knife to her throat. The cold blade against her flesh sent chills down her spine. She could feel tears starting to built up in her eyes out of fear. She tried to break from his grasp but he was too strong for her.

The man smirked as he started pushing her back. She felt helpless as she was forced to take excruciating steps back. When her back hit the wall, it seemed like all hope left her.

She saw him smirk. She felt the cold blade lift from her throat as it trailed down her body. She tried to get away and fight his grasp. She squirmed. Then she felt his hand on her body, slowly feeling her up. She looked at him with so much fear in her eyes.

The man only smirked again and moved his head near hers. His mouth was inches from her ear. She could feel his breath on her skin. She knew what he wanted from her and it made the fear inside grow to such an extent she had never felt before.

"I'm going to enjoy this, blossom. You did well in that concert of yours. Too bad your brother can't see it." He whispered seductively as tears started to fall down her eyes. She felt him touching her and she couldn't do anything about it. He started kissing her neck.

She felt repulsed. She continued squirming and it seemed to infuriate the man more. His grip on her jaw tightened and slammed her more to the wall. At that moment, with so much adrenalin pumping in her system, she bit his hand with as much strength as she could and once he released her, she screamed with all her might, "Shaoran!"

(to be continued...)

Well, I know by this chapter the story is picking up. Please, please review. I would really, really like to know what you think. Thanks!

Michiko


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Shaoran!"

When he heard Sakura scream his name, his blood ran cold. He knew that something was definitely wrong. Without another thought, he took his gun out and burst through the door. He saw a man hold a knife to her throat, facing him.

Shaoran saw her left cheek all red. He could tell that the man struck her really hard. He clenched his gun a little tighter as he aimed for the man.

"Ah! Didn't I tell you to teach your boy friend some manners? Ah I'm quite disappointed in you Sa-ku-ra." The man said seductively as he went on and licked her on the neck.

Sakura desperately tried to get away. She hated the feel of his tongue on her skin. She felt dirty and violated. She looked away from Shaoran. She knew she wouldn't be able to handle his gaze.

Shaoran's eyes darkened as he saw the man starting to violate Sakura. He wanted to murder the man and get her out of there. He completely forgot that Meiling was even there at his back.

"Let her go." Shaoran said as calmly as he could. But he knew he wasn't able to cover up his murderous intent.

The man only smirked as his hands started to roam over her body again. Sakura slowly let her sobs out. She fought the man's grasp. She didn't like him touching her. She wanted to get away so bad. Tears were starting to fall down unconsciously.

"Sakura look at me." Shaoran said. His voice seemed calm and gentle. She looked back at him and he nodded. "I want you to close your eyes, Sakura. I'm going to get you out of here." He said. As a few stray tears broke through her eyes, she eventually did close them, putting her full trust to Shaoran.

She could feel the man smirk behind her and he grabbed on to her roughly and pulled her closer to his body. "She's mine now." He said.

Shaoran smirked and replied, "Oh? What makes you so sure?"

As the man was about to reply, Shaoran did not hesitate to shoot. Sakura quickly opened her eyes to witness the man behind her fall, dead. She turned towards Shaoran as he was replacing his gun. His gaze returned to her and as soon as their eyes met, Sakura couldn't hold back the tears. It was like all barriers were broken at that instant.

She wasn't thinking anymore. Her feet took her to Shaoran. She clung on to him as he held her shaking form.

"I told you that I will protect you. I intend to keep my promise. It's ok...you're ok now." He whispered to her as gently as he could. He closed his eyes, trying to keep his anger and at the same time relish the relief he had now that she was there in the protection of his arms.

Meiling watched in silence at the scene that was unfolding before her. She had never seen Shaoran act like that. He may call it a job but she knew without a shadow of a doubt that it was more than a job. She knew that he was falling in love with Sakura. He was falling really hard. It pained her as the realization hit but she was happy at the same time that after so many years, he was starting to become more expressive and caring.

"Um hate to break it to you but I doubt that man came alone. We have to get out of here and fast." Meiling said as she approached the two.

Sakura broke off and took a step back. Shaoran looked at her, concern slightly seem on his face. She quickly rummaged through her bag and took out her phone. She checked to see if there was anything new about her brother. She saw none. Her heart fell.

"Sakura, what's wrong?" Shaoran asked as he walked up to Sakura.

She looked up at him. She didn't exactly know what were the right words to say. "My...b-brother...they...they're the ones who have my brother." She said, pointing at the dead man.

"Let's get out of here first. We can't help him out if you too are in danger." Shaoran said, offering her a hand.

Sakura took it and allowed him to lead her out of there. Shaoran withdrew his gun. By the door, he told Meiling, "No bull shit. In and out. We move now."

Meiling smirked and said, "Yeah, yeah. You look down on me too much, Shaoran."

XxXxXx

As they made their way towards the elevator, it was unusually quiet...too quiet. Shaoran clutched Sakura's hand tighter. As if understanding what he was trying to tell her, she stepped closer to him, also watching over her shoulders for anything.

"I know I'm not in the force or anything but what exactly is the real story here? I don't like it. It's too quiet." Meiling commented as quietly as she could.

"This is hardly the time to talk about it." Shaoran hissed, not looking back at her.

Sakura suddenly stopped running along with them. Before Shaoran could ask her what was wrong, she looked at him in the eye and said, "We can't go this way. It's not safe."

"What are you talking about?" He said.

Sakura looked up at him and replied, "We are walking into a trap. I'm so stupid for not realizing this sooner. I'm sorry."

He tightened his hold on her hand and kept on looking at her questioningly. Sakura squeezed his hand back, not breaking eye contact. "They are watching us, Shaoran. They are watching our every move. T-the...last time...when one h-held me captive...I heard his partner yell to someone on the other line asking about videos...I'm not really sure what he meant but I have a strong feeling that they are watching us right now just like they did to u-us back then...I mean think about it...why aren't there any people here aside from us?"

With that thought, even Meiling could feel the goose bumps run along her body. It was a creepy feeling to know that you are being watched. She ran her hands up her arms, looking around her, trying to spot the surveillance cameras. It was ironic because that technology was supposed to make you feel safe. At the moment, it was far from giving them comfort. It was like death's eyes watching their every move.

With Sakura's revelation, Shaoran remained silent and forced his brain to run on overdrive. He needed sets of plans to get them safely out of there.

Without letting go of Sakura's hand, Shaoran took his phone from his pocket and dialed a number. He knew precious seconds were ticking away. He needed to get in touch with him right away.

XxXxXx

"Aro, I think we have a problem." The man watching the monitors said.

A man who seemed to be in his late twenties approached. The man then smirked and continued, "It seems like they have figured out that we are watching them."

Aro couldn't help but smirk as well. "Well, well, well, it seems like the little cherry blossom isn't as fragile as she seems to be. This is going to be interesting." He straightened out as his eyes never left Sakura on the monitor.

"Call the boss. Let him know this little detail. I'm sure he would be very interested to know this latest development." Aro commanded as he walked back to where he was seated before and took a swig of beer. He smirked again. He was going to enjoy this cat and mouse game.

"Who are you calling, Detective Li? And who else did you bring into this game of ours?" Aro asked, not directed to anyone as his eyes never left the monitors in front of him. Another fact that fascinated him was that their little cherry blossom can talk after all.

Aro then sat in front of his laptop as his smirk grew. It seemed that Jiro, the man they sent to 'take care' of Sakura, obviously failed. His fingers started running through the different keys rapidly. He took the lead in watching and carefully orchestrating what was happening. He couldn't help but smirk again. He could tell that he was going to have fun tonight.

XxXxXx

The music was blaring. Yamazaki was busy creating a new software against hackers. It was a complicated program he had been working on for months, working on the glitches. He had on computer on, still processing the videos Shaoran had handed him the day before.

With so much footage, even he was getting annoyed at how long it was taking. He stretched out on his chair only retreating when he realized Chiharu placed some cold soda and a hot bowl of ramen next to him. He looked up and she smiled at him. As he took the bowl, she sat beside him and asked, "So how are the videos coming along?"

"If nof frelly down yef." He answered while slurping the noodles and eating it at the same time.

Chiharu let out a sigh and replied, "Swallow what you are eating first before answering, you moron."

Yamazaki could tell that she rolled her eyes. He chewed and swallowed. "But you love me anyway."

"Yeah, yeah. Go on before I change my mind."

"Ok. As I was saying before you so rudely interrupted," Chiharu glared back at him a little. Yamazaki bit back a chuckle when he saw her face. "It's not done yet. I haven't even finished the first few minutes yet. It seems to be encrypted."

"So let me get this straight, you are decoding it at the same time retrieving the actual footage?"

"You got it, babe. That's why I love you. You can always tell."

Chiharu let out another sigh and shrugged. She then tied her hair up while Yamazaki went on with his meal. "This is going to take forever. Move over. Let me do some decoding while you eat. And for heavens sakes, chew your food. There's more in the stove so you don't have to eat like you have some competition or something."

Yamazaki smirked as he watched his girl friend start working. His phone started ringing. He checked it and saw Shaoran's name flashing. He placed his ramen down before taking a big gulp of soda before answering it.

"Shaoran, what's u-"

He never got the chance to finish what he was saying when Shaoran suddenly said, "I need you to hack into the security system of Asturias right now."

"What?"

"Listen carefully, we are playing a dead game of cat and mouse. Unfortunately we are the mouse. They have the surveillance system under their control. Our chances of escaping alive just went down." Shaoran said.

Yamazaki quickly switched to a wireless headset with all seriousness present in his features. Chiharu turned to him and was about to ask what was wrong but the look on his face told her to keep her mouth shut.

Yamazaki quickly connected to the server and started hacking. Within seconds, he was already connected. "Alright Shaoran. I'm in. I'll have all live feeds and the schematics in 10 seconds. Where are you?"

"Second floor near the elevators left of the ballroom, in the middle of the hallway."

"Got it. Standby." Yamazaki said as his fingers started moving.

XxXxXx

Shaoran finally let go of Sakura's hand as he switched to wireless. He waited for Yamazaki but he wished he would move faster. Shaoran knew quite well that the longer they stayed in the hallway like that, the greater the chance that they'd be caught.

"Here," Shaoran said as he threw a gun at Meiling. "Aim and shoot. Try not to miss." He added.

Meiling smirked and replied, "Like I said, you look down on me way too much."

Sakura wasn't sure she was liking how things were turning out. She kept her doubts to herself. She let out a wavering breath. It was supposed to make her feel better but it did the opposite. She almost jumped when Shaoran spoke to her.

His voice was gentle but still it was enough to take her by surprise. "How are you holding up?"

"Aside from being anxious about people trying to kill us, I'm doing fine."

Shaoran smirked. He wasn't expecting her to answer that way, not that he minded. He could tell the obvious. He just felt the need to ask her.

"Got it. Make your way towards the elevator now. As of now you guys are invisible. Get out of there. I'm sure they are not too happy seeing or rather not seeing you." Came Yamazaki's voice on the other end.

"Copy that." Shaoran said as he grabbed Sakura's hand and almost ran towards the elevator.

"What floor did you park?" Yamazaki asked.

"B2."

"B2. B2. Ok, hmm you're not going to like this. There are three armed men waiting. I can't tell if there are more waiting inside the cars."

"Shit. I'm sure they'd be watching this elevator too. Which floor-"

"Way ahead of you, Shaoran. I'm opening the doors in 5...4...3...2...1. Go! Get out of there! I'm going to send them into a wild goose chase."

As the elevator doors opened, Shaoran immediately got them out of there having the doors close a split second later. With his gun ready, Shaoran started down the corridor step by step.

"It's clear, Shaoran. It won't be though in approximately a minute and a half. Down the hall and make a right. You'll find yourselves in the fire exit. Go down one flight and exit the door. Stay there until I say so." Yamazaki instructed.

Without another word, Shaoran did as he was told. For the first time that night, he felt in control of the situation and he'd truly be able to take her out of there safely.

XxXxXx

Yamazaki then smirked. He had the elevator stop at almost two floors down after he let Shaoran and the others leave. He then played fire with fire. He kept the image of the three of them inside the elevator as it headed back up. He then made it seem as they were at the third level, running down the corridors, acting as if they were anticipating the enemy.

He then told Shaoran, "Make your move now! I was able to make even the three men at your parking level leave. It won't take long before they realize that you guys aren't at the third level. You have exactly 5 minutes to get out of that building. Once you get out, I've got it from there. I'll get you guys as far away as possible."

XxXxXx

Aro cursed as he realized that there was an unknown user on the server, hacking through his system. He was so engrossed with watching Sakura and the others that he failed to notice that his firewalls were being broken down. If he hadn't reacted in time, his whole system would have been useless.

His eyes narrowed. He worked and raced to create and trap whoever it was hacking, firewall after firewall, trap after trap but it seemed that whoever was on the other line had skills.

A smirk grew on his lips. _Let the games begin. I will find you and I will trap you like the rat that you are. No one beats me in cyber space._

XxXxXx

Following Yamazaki's instructions, they were able to get to the car, unharmed. Shaoran made Sakura sit at the back and told Meiling to drive. As Sakura kept down, Meiling drove as normally as possible. Within a couple of minutes they were out on the streets.

Shaoran still didn't allow her to sit up. Yamazaki had them on GPS and made almost every stop light they encountered for the first few blocks green. When he believed he had them at a safe distance, Yamazaki stopped interfering. Shaoran thanked him and advised Meiling to drive home.

Sakura sat back up, not saying anything. She watched as the scenes around them started to change. She kept looking out the window. Shaoran glanced at the rear view mirror and saw her reflection. He could only guess what was on her mind.

Meiling, on the other hand, couldn't stand the silence. She broke the silence by saying, "Ok, now will someone tell me what is really going on?"

Sakura looked up front, not really knowing what to say. With the new development, she wasn't really in the mood to talk about it. She decided to remain silent.

Shaoran knew that Meiling did deserve to know what was happening since she got involved earlier. He also knew that Sakura wasn't going to initiate an explanation.

"This is an on-going investigation, Meiling. I can't really talk about it b-"

"Bullshit. Don't tell me I don't deserve to know what just happened back there."

Sakura flinched at her tone. She knew that Meiling was right.

"As I was saying, but you deserve to know. A few days ago, Sakura and another barely escaped with their lives from Asturias." Shaoran went on to explain the facts, enough to make Meiling understand. But Sakura knew that he left a few things out. She knew that he was still somehow following protocol, not discussing everything to someone outside the investigation.

It became a long drive. Sakura wasn't really listening to the conversation anymore. She just wanted to drown everything out. She shuddered how the man had touched her...the feel of his breath...his lips...his tongue on her skin. She wanted to wash the filth as soon as she could. The feeling of achievement she had after her concert was replaced with repulsive ones. The only reason why she hadn't completely broken down and was still breathing was the man who sat in the front seat. She was grateful that he was always there.

When they arrived, none of them moved right away. Shaoran glanced at Sakura, her expression remained seemed calm. Meiling knew that if she didn't move at that moment, they'd be there the entire night. Before she went down she said, "It was an amazing concert, Sakura. Don't forget that."

She met Sakura's gaze and offered her a smile before leaving the two and disappearing inside the house.

Shaoran then left himself. As Sakura made the move to do the same, she was a little taken aback when the door was opened by Shaoran. He then offered her his hand. She took it, too tired to do anything else.

They walked in silence. He walked her to her room. They stood there for awhile. She was so silent that it was starting to bother Shaoran. He laid a hand on her shoulder and said, "Sakura, you're not alone."

She looked up at him and forced a smile. "I know." She had said it in almost a whisper. She took a step towards him and intertwined her arms around his neck, pulling him in a hug. "Thank you." She whispered. Her action caused him to stiffen. He didn't have time to react as she took a step back and gave him a tired smile. She wished him a good night before heading inside.

He watched her door for awhile before heading to his room. From the shadows, Meiling could feel her heart break. She realized just how much those two needed each other. They were just too blind to see it for themselves. At that moment, she resigned herself to fixing that little problem. She was going to play matchmaker but in the meantime, she was going to help straighten out the threat.

She smiled at the new prospect. It had hurt her but she knew that it was bound to happen. At least, now she knew that Shaoran didn't fall in love with just anybody. He fell in love with one of the most beautiful person, inside and out, there was. If only he wasn't too stubborn. Meiling smirked. Well, that was why she was there. She would just have to help him realize. She walked back to her room, ready to call it a night.

XxXxXx

Shaoran entered his room. He removed his coat and sat on the edge of his bed. His mind would not leave Sakura. He could tell that her sanity is being tested with the advent of things.

As he removed his tie, he held it in his hands and remembered how she had fixed it earlier. The smile that graced her lips...her delicate hands at work...her eyes filled with warmth...not to mention her beauty...it seemed that the more you got to know her, the more beautiful she seems to become. He couldn't understand why something as horrible as what was unfolding could happen to her.

Shaoran could remember how he witness the man touch her...put his hands on her...kiss her...lick her the way he did. He clenched his fists, remembering how his blood had boiled at that moment, murderous thoughts filling his head. Hadn't she gone through enough? She didn't deserve any of it. Somehow he wished to protect her from all of it. He wanted to keep her from those things.

He ran a hand on his unruly hair, couldn't quite come to terms how worked up he was. He then remembered that Sakura's cheek was hit. It wouldn't take long before it would bruise. He let out a breath and resigned himself to getting her some ice after he freshened up and given her a little time for herself. He knew that she needed that. But he also needed to talk to her about the case. It seemed the more they tried to uncover the truth, the deeper they got in the web of lies and deceit.

XxXxXx

Once the door was shut behind her, Sakura could feel her knees buckle beneath her. She had to lean back on the door for support. She felt so dirty...so tainted. Then reality hit that Tomoyo was no longer there. For the first time in days, she realized that her manager, her best friend was never coming back.

The dress suddenly weighed so much. She made herself move to the dresser nearby. She looked at herself, surprised to see that there were tears staining her face. Her left cheek was still red from the hit she received earlier. It was starting to swell a little bit.

With trembling hands she started to undo the dress. Anger filled her veins as she tried to remove one of the last memories she had of her best friend. Not only did the man violate her but also Tomoyo. He placed his filthy hands on the dress she had made for her. Sakura couldn't help but blame herself for being so stupid to fall for that trap. She knew quite well that she was in danger. She knew that they would come for her that night. Still, she depended on Shaoran too much that she forgot to look out for herself.

Once the garment slid down her body, all her bruises and wounds were once again visible. A new wave of sobs wracked her body. She was in so much pain that she didn't know anymore where the physical ended and the emotional begin. She looked at herself and felt so pathetic and weak.

Her legs finally gave way as she slid to the floor, holding her palm to her mouth, hoping to drown her sobs. She didn't want to have somebody comfort her. She didn't want them to pity her. She wanted to let her anger, pain and frustrations run.

After what seemed like forever, Sakura gathered herself up and headed for the bathroom. She turned on the water to hot. She started scrubbing herself really hard to get the feeling of the man on her skin off her. She needed to get the feeling off her body.

When the water didn't see to drown her misery, Sakura forced herself out of the shower. After getting dressed, she sat on the bed, resting her back on the headboard. She closed her eyes, willing her heart to calm down. She had already been crying too much. It annoyed her that her tears just wouldn't stop flowing.

Sakura did the next best thing. She drew up her knees and leaned her head on it. Exhaustion started to creep in all over her body but she knew that she wouldn't be able to sleep right away. She stiffened when she heard a knock on her door.

Shaoran opened the door with an ice pack clutched in his other hand. He glanced inside sort of relieve but at the same time concerned why she was still awake.

He slowly walked over her. "Sakura," He said gently as to not frighten her. He saw how stiff her body was.

When he thought that she wouldn't respond to him and was about to call to her again, Sakura uncurled herself and leaned on the headboard again. She had her eyes closed at first and when she opened them to look back at him, Shaoran inwardly flinched at how torn her eyes were telling him. They were puffy and red.

He sat down at the side of the bed. "Sakura-" He started but she cut him off.

"Please...Shaoran...do you mind...I don't want to talk about anything right now."

Shaoran gave an exasperated breath and replied, "I'm sorry, Sakura but we have to. With what just happened, we need to talk about it. I need to know what exactly happened the last time."

Sakura looked back at him with a pained expression. Shaoran slightly felt bad for pushing her but it was pertinent now that he knew everything. He needed to know what their next move should be. He can't protect her from those who wanted to hurt her if he didn't know who they were.

"Then would you give me just a few minutes...to get my nerve back?"

Shaoran nodded. He looked down at his hands and noticed the ice pack. He turned back to Sakura and offered it. "For your face...so it won't bruise too much."

He could tell that she was almost reluctant in accepting the ice pack but she eventually did. She gave him a small smile. She winced the first moment the ice touched her skin. Shaoran could only watch and wait for her until she was ready to talk to him.

"It's funny, you know." Sakura said. Her voice was so soft that if Shaoran hadn't been paying attention, he knew he would have missed it. He looked at her, waiting patiently for her to continue.

"When I was a kid...I always wished that one day I would live an adventure where I'd experience life in all its complexities. I even wondered how I'd feel if I was a damsel in distress. Would someone be there to save me? I lost my parents at a young age...so I wondered...is what they say in stories true? Will a knight in shining armor come and kill the evil villain? I wished my life was a fairytale when I was a kid. Now...I just...want it all to end...I want to go back to me...not afraid...not weak..."

"Don't wish it to end, Sakura. You have so much to live for." Shaoran answered, clenching his fist tight. He didn't like the idea of her giving up.

She turned to meet his gaze. She hadn't even realized that she had looked beyond him. "Do you know? When I was out there playing, it felt like I will survive this...that there is a way to end it soon. But once he started touching me..." Sakura's voice faltered as she looked away. She couldn't bear to look at him. Tears started falling freely again.

Shaoran held her by her arms, "Sakura, look at me." He said. She didn't want to. He let out a sigh and with a hand, guided her to face him while saying it a gentler way, "Look at me...Sakura."

When she met his gaze, he held her there. This was important. He needed to make her understand. "Don't think of him. He is not worthy of you, do you hear me? He will never be worthy of you. I know you feel violated and I'm sorry I wasn't able to stop him from touching you. But I promise...no one...and I mean no one will do that to you. If that person even thinks it, he'll have to go through me to get to you."

A few stray tears escaped. Shaoran brushed them away with his thumb. She closed her eyes, savoring the comfort he was offering her. It was weird. They started out as strangers only a few days ago but now it was almost a very natural thing to receive such comfort from him. It was like she had known his touch for years.

When she opened her eyes again, she was surprised to see their faces were much closer than she had initially thought. They must have reached the same shock as they both stiffened.

Shaoran let his hand fall from her cheek as he straightened himself. Somehow it brought this feeling in both of them that neither would admit. The feeling of warmth was immediately missed.

He smirked and said, "Forget him, Sakura." He then smirked. "Think of me instead." He knew she would get what he was really saying but he also knew how it sounded.

Sakura let out an honest giggle. She then replied, "I'd like that but I think I'd probably get into more trouble with that. You do know a lot of women find you hard to resist." She knew his intentions and was grateful for the shift of their conversation to a more comfortable one.

"I'd prove to you I'm not irresistible."

Sakura only gave him a challenging smile. He then leaned towards her and placed his hands on either side of her. "It seems to me that you can resist my charms."

She blushed at the suddenness of his actions but quickly hid it. She smiled and decided to tease him too. She gently placed her arms around her neck and answered, "How are you so sure of how I feel?"

His arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer to him. "Well, you have a way of expressing your inner most feelings with your music. With how you played a few hours ago, it's not hard to figure out."

Sakura's heart skipped a beat. She wasn't exactly sure why his statement had that effect on her. She knew she wasn't going to win the game of retorts so she smiled and placed her hands in either side of his face. She then said as honestly as she could, "You really are perceptive, Li Shaoran. I now understand why Yukito holds you at such high esteem. When you find the one who is for you, I hope she'll know how lucky she is to have you loving her."

Shaoran blinked. He didn't expect a comment like that from her. He knew she said it with much honesty. A sudden pang tugged on his heart. Was it disappointment? He shook the thought from his head when the truth of his job dawned on him again. Holding her close to him wasn't helping either so he did the next best thing...he let her go.

"As much as I appreciate your attempt to shift the mood, I know I owe you an explanation. I owe you the truth." He watched as the smile on her face slowly changed to a sad smile.

"It was like any other day...like any other concert...Tomoyo and I went to Asturias to check the venue. It's my last for awhile...I was planning to leave the country after graduation. I was going to follow my brother abroad to further my musical studies. Tomoyo had agreed for me to go. I was so happy. We headed to the wash room before leaving. We were about done when we heard this gun shot. I asked her if I was wrong...she tried to tell me I was being silly but then we heard people heading towards our direction. We barely made it to the last stall farthest from the door and lock it behind us when the door swung open..."

_As the door swung open, Sakura and Tomoyo stood on the toilet trying to be as silent as possible. They heard movement come inside. Their hearts leaped inside their chest when they heard a man yell to check the stalls. Sakura and Tomoyo could feel their blood turn cold. They knew that if they were found, it was probably going to be the last day._

_"You thought you could get away by pretending to be someone else huh?" Then a sickening thud sounded as a bound, bleeding man knelt in front of his captors. Another thud was heard when the stall farthest from where the girls hid was forcefully opened by a kick._

_"W-why...don't...you...just...kill...me and get this...over with?" Came another man's feeble voice. The girls could tell that he was in so much pain. Another man seemed to continue with the checking of the stalls._

_The man couldn't struggle anymore against his captors. He was already bleeding from the wound he got as he was shot while he tried to get away. "Oh you're not going to die easily. You're going to suffer. Did you think you could bring us down? Now, you're going to see exactly how wrong you are." The man then started to inflict deep, non-fatal stab wounds all over the man's body. Sakura and Tomoyo's blood ran cold. From what they were hearing, the man was subjected to intense and painful torture._

_"Wrap this up. I'm needed in twenty minutes down town." Another man said. The stall next to where they were was checked. They saw a shadow in front of the door. Then there was an eerie silence. It was like time had stopped. _

_Sakura and Tomoyo froze. Suddenly, a gunshot rattled that silence. Sakura bit her lip while Tomoyo covered her mouth really hard to prevent any sound from escaping._

_They didn't know if fate was teasing them but they saw the shadow walk away as the door to the comfort room opened and closed. They then heard dragging sounds. It was the most tense and terrifying five minutes of their lives. They then heard the door open again and close._

_They did not dare move. It felt like it was all a trap, coaxing them to come out of their hiding place so that they could kill them too. In what seemed like forever, Tomoyo reached for the lock. She turned the lock and slowly opened the door. They both peaked at the same time. What they saw made their insides churn in fear._

_Tomoyo and Sakura gasped when they opened the door. Sakura could feel her legs weakening beneath her and soon found it difficult to stand, as she allowed her body to sink on the floor while a hand drifted to cover her mouth. Tomoyo unconsciously took steps back and found herself almost sitting on the toilet bowl when her knees hit the edges. They both swallowed their reactions in fear that those men were still near the door. They saw a man who seemed to be in his late thirties, early forties on the floor with blood everywhere. He was dragged in deeper inside the comfort room, nearer to where they were. He was left there. His eyes were open and white, a single gunshot to the temple, stab wounds all over his body, mostly on the chest area and on his upper extremities, and upon closer look, he had another gunshot wound to the left thigh._

_It was like a scene from those horror movies. They both remained where they were, petrified in fear. The corpse was facing them, mocking them. It seemed as if death had left him there to tell them they were next. _

_Snapping out of her shock, Tomoyo turned to Sakura and said in a low voice, "We have to get out of here." Sakura nodded in agreement. They scanned their surroundings looking for a way to escape. They didn't see a window where they could crawl out to. Plus, they were on the second floor. Even if there was a window, there was no way out unless they jumped to the ground. _

_Both of them gulped inwardly as the realization dawned in that for them to get out of there, they had to walk past the dead body and exit the door with the thought that they weren't sure if there were men still stationed out of there. _

_Gathering their courage and rationalizing that they'd have better chances to survive if they got of there. They slowly headed towards the door. Somewhere deep down they were waiting for it to open as they got closer and closer. _

_When they reached the door, both could feel their hearts race up. They looked at each other, asking themselves if they were really going to go through with it. With shaking hands, Sakura opened the door knob and slowly opened the door. They checked and the hallway seemed deserted. _

_Relief didn't pass through them though. They didn't know that their nightmare was just beginning. _

_Walking down the corridor was like walking between life and death. The silence was so eerie. It seemed that the walls were closing in on them. They could actually feel the walls caving in and watching them, like they have eyes watching their every move. They tried to keep calm as they walked. Tomoyo and Sakura clung on to each other, trying to keep each other calm. _

_XxXxXx_

_"Look at what we have here? Two little birds who are flying too low. Too bad that it's hunting season." Aro commented as he leaned towards the monitor._

"_Blade. Serpent. Anubis. Take a look. I have found two little birds that you might be interested in playing." Aro said while three men walked up behind him. When they saw what was on the monitor, they couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement for the upcoming hunt they were going to. Without another word, the three men left the room and went to go find themselves the two little lost birdies they saw._

_XxXxXx_

_Tomoyo took out her phone and started dialing. Pretty soon, she was heard explaining, trying to keep her voice from becoming hysterical. "Hello? This is Daidouji Tomoyo. I am with Kinomoto Sakura. We are at the Asturias and we think we just witness a murder. Send someone here as soon as possible. We're not sure if they are still within the building or have fled. Please...send help..."_

_Sakura saw Tomoyo nod and reply "ok" a couple of times. She then hung up. She turned back to Sakura and gave her a shaky smile. "They'll be here soon, Sakura. We just have to hold off before then."_

_**Are you ok?**_

_Tomoyo gave another weak smile and nodded. Sakura knew better. She was just as bad as her. Sakura held Tomoyo's hand and gave it a squeeze. She wanted to reassure her that she wasn't alone. _

_The elevator bell sounded indicating that the elevator, making them sigh in relief. But somehow Sakura couldn't explain the feeling as if her insides weren't convinced. She felt as if they were about to face doom straight on._

_When the elevator doors opened, both girls froze when they were met by three men. The sinister look in their faces was enough to send them into another wave of panic. They took involuntary steps back. They both knew these men were ruthless by simple taking in their murderous gazes and body language._

XxXxXx

Sakura closed her eyes. She wanted to finish her story once and for all. She needed to do this. It was killing her inside. Shaoran needed to understand that...maybe he could even help her with it.

She failed to realize that Shaoran had took her hand the moment she started shaking while sharing the experience that brought them to meet.

Shaoran wanted to tell her to stop but held it in knowing that he shouldn't stop her. Her body language was telling him that she needed to reveal everything. This was the moment he had been waiting for from her. He needed her to tell him everything that had happened that day.

XxXxXx

_Tomoyo and Sakura could hardly take their eyes off the men. They approached like hunters catching their prey against the wall. Sakura unconsciously tightened her grip on Tomoyo's arm. _

_"What do we have here? Looks like we are going to have some fun this afternoon boys. Videos really don't lie, only they seem to be more 'appetizing' in person. Such beautiful girls...we're gentlemen enough to make sure they aren't lonely." _

_Goosebumps resurfaced and ran down their spines. They weren't ignorant not to understand what they wanted. As the men approached them, Sakura and Tomoyo continued taking steps back. When they felt their backs against the wall, it felt like their hopes came tumbling down. _

_As the men started to close on them, Sakura felt adrenalin rush through her veins. She knew that if they didn't try something they would something more than their innocence...their lives. The elevator was only a few feet away. The door was left open. They could escape there if they could get past the men. Her brain was in overdrive._

_As if reading Sakura's thoughts at wavelength, Tomoyo felt for her pepper spray inside her pocket. She always kept it there in cases of emergencies. She was glad that she had listened to her mother about it. When a man with spiky hair who seemed to be not older than them was close enough, Tomoyo did not hesitate to spray him the eyes. _

_The two other men made a grab for them. A man with reddish brown hair and had a long scar to his left eye grabbed Tomoyo's arm holding the spray with a deathly hard grip. The other man with a tattoo of a snake on his neck made gripped Sakura hard, trying to overpower her. As she struggled, the man hit Sakura across the face hard. Blood started to trickle down her mouth. _

_Sakura's mind filled with teachings she got from both Touya and Yukito. Adrenalin was high in her system. There was no doubt in her mind that they needed to get out of there or they will die. With all the strength that she had, she hit the man's groin making him squirm with pain. She then took the spray from Tomoyo's hand and sprayed it all over then reddish brown haired man holding her best friend._

_The man let go of Tomoyo's arm as they both made a run for the elevator. But as Sakura ran, she felt strong hands pull her legs, making her fall hard. She turned only to have the tattooed man's rage meet her. His grip was strong and painful. Soon his fist collided with her abdomen a couple of times as he crawled his way up her to get her. _

_Sakura was overwhelmed with pain as she struggled less. The pain was excruciating. To her relief, Tomoyo used the pepper spray again to blind the man and dragged Sakura towards the elevator as fast as she could. But the men stood and were in their heels, slightly blinded. Tomoyo though that they weren't going to make it._

_Once they were at the elevator, Tomoyo hit the close button numerous times, hoping that it would close faster. The doors closed as the men staggered about a foot or two away from them. _

_Both Tomoyo and Sakura sighed in relief when the doors closed. They both leaned back on the elevator wall and closed their eyes. Tomoyo hit the ground floor. It didn't take long before they saw that they were already at the said floor. But once they got out, they immediately sensed that there was something wrong. There seemed to be people there that were trying hard to blend in and if they didn't just experience what they went through, they would have missed them._

_Tomoyo pulled on Sakura's hand and whispered to her, 'this way.' They wanted to run to the stairs but they would have not gotten away. They forced themselves to walk slowly. But when Sakura looked over her shoulder, her blood ran cold. _

_Sakura pulled on Tomoyo's hand. Tomoyo glanced at what Sakura was telling her. Her eyes widened significantly. Her footsteps grew faster. Once they reached the other side of the door, Tomoyo made Sakura look at her. _

_"Sakura, you have to get out of here alive. You here me? You have to promise me that you'll get out of here alive and I will promise you the same." Tomoyo said as they were caught with no choice but to separate. _

_Reluctantly, Sakura gave a nod. Tomoyo smiled at her and said, "I'm going to go this way and you go the other way. If they catch either of us, at least they won't catch us both. Come on. I know we are getting out of this alive." _

_With time running out, they each took their own path. Sakura found herself up at the upper levels again, silently cursing the cruel fate really was. Sakura had no idea what exactly happened to Tomoyo after only to be reunited a day after, having her best friend fighting for her life at the hospital._

_She kept a vigil watch everywhere. She didn't have a plan. She didn't know what to do. All she knew was that she was panicking and she had to get out of there and fast to get help for Tomoyo. _

_She turned the corner and ran smack dab against something really hard. When she felt arms around her, she stiffened and started to fight back. _

_"It's ok. It's ok. I'm not going to hurt you. You're safe now." A soothing voice came to her._

_She stopped struggling and looked up. Her gaze met gentle blue ones. That was then she realized that he wasn't alone. He was with a man with auburn brown hair and intense brown eyes with a gun held out in front of him. There were others in uniform with them. She knew she was safer than she was. She stood on her own a little and opened her mouth to try and speak or something but as she stood straighter, a terrible pain shot through her body as she limped a bit._

_Adrenalin was leaving her system, no longer masking the pain she had. A bit more blood escaped her lips as she fell forward only to be caught by strong arms._

_She could hear panic in his voice, asking her what was wrong. He was telling her to hang on. She felt her consciousness waver. Everything soon went dark._

XxXxXx

The room was silent after Sakura finished telling Shaoran what she went through those few hours of this nightmare. He glanced at her. She was looking anywhere but him.

"That was your statement." He said.

It took awhile before Sakura looked back at him and answered, "Yes. I know. But what I didn't say was the other conversations the men had. They said in a voice low enough for their ears but I heard them. That is the reason why I ...the man who was responsible...the man who spoke in that wash room and killed that man you found...he was at the police station."

"What do you mean by he was at the police station?"

"It means exactly what it is. When you brought me there, while Yukito-san was there...even if I had my back against him...I knew that voice...and when I turned...I saw his face...now I could never forget that face... but I don't know his name. He was there. I'm sure it was him. The reason why I chose to not say anything is because I think he is your superior. You work for him. If he knew that I know, I have no doubts that he will kill you too aside from me." Sakura said. Her voice was solemn. She couldn't look at him.

Shaoran's head snapped at her direction. His superior? _Shit. _No wonder Sakura kept warning him about whom to trust. No wonder she would never talk unless he or Meiling were the only people around. No wonder she was so scared.

"The other conversations…I don't really understand…something about reporting to a man…Yu Fa Lei? They were talking about now having fixed loose ends and that…the man…the man you found dead…now he will be forever silent and he won't be able to destroy anything. He was no longer a threat. Tomoyo and I even hear them jeer that he was a pathetic man who may have held a shield but proved to be worthless." Sakura paused. "I suppose they weren't really expecting us to be there at that moment." After that, Sakura was silent for awhile.

"Shaoran," Sakura started as she stared back at him, holding his gaze. "Are you afraid?"

He thought of his answer carefully. "No," He answered.

"You should be. I'm not saying that you should consider yourself as weak but...you should fear him…fear them. It will save you. It will save us. The way they killed that man...I can tell that that person they killed was a part of your force, am I right? That's what they meant of him having a shield, right? How brutally he was killed...the things he said and were accused of...a lot of eyes are watching you...even those you probably call friends and comrades."

Shaoran smirked. She was more perceptive than he gave her credit for. "I stopped fearing this a long time ago. I don't let fear stop me because that is what gets people killed in my line of work. You are a musician and a woman. It is expected from you to be emotional."

Sakura wanted to retort but held her tongue. He did speak the truth, part of the truth. "You say so much but from the look in your eyes, you are ruled by more emotions than what you think."

"A piece of advice...don't look beyond something that you are not ready to understand. You do not know what I've been through."

Sakura could tell that he was on edge. She might have touched on a topic she shouldn't have. "I'm well aware that I have no idea what you have been through. I'm not stupid enough to assume just to judge you. I don't want to judge you. We're not even friends." Somehow that truth pierced more than both of them were willing to admit. "We've been pushed to become acquaintances because of the circumstances that define our life. You are right. I am not ready to see the real you not because of fear. God, you of all people should know the nightmare that is my life so one more scare wouldn't so much as make a difference. I am not ready to understand you because you, yourself, aren't ready to. I already gave you everything you need to know. It's ok if you never speak to me again after this. But I need to say it..."

Sakura paused and looked straight into his eyes. "You won't be able to move forward and accomplish what you must if you keep lying to yourself. Strength can be negative in uncertain hands."

"You talk like you know much. I think I like you better not talking." Shaoran commented.

Sakura knew what he really meant but decided to laugh it out. "Fine. I'm ok with that. I won't talk to you again after this night. Too bad you won't get to know all the things Meiling told me about you. Oh! I forgot...you don't really care about things like that."

Shaoran let an exasperated breath. His curiosity got the better of him. "What did Meiling say this time?" Sakura just smiled back at him, refusing to answers. He waited for an answer. After awhile, Shaoran knew that she wouldn't answer him. He trapped her with either of his arms at the side of her. She was stunned to say the least with his sudden action. His gaze on her, keeping her eye contact wasn't helping either.

"Do I have to ask again?" He said.

Sakura forced herself to close her eyes to escape his gaze. A small smile graced her lips. "You can ask Meiling. I already told you that I'm not going to tell. Besides, I don't think I should have found out those things but I must say I think she found the need to say it."

"I'm a detective, Sakura. Don't think I won't be able to get it out of you." He answered with a grin.

Sakura crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "I think you should know by now that I can keep a secret."

"It's about me. It hardly counts as a secret."

"From where I stand it seems like it is. By the way you are acting, I'm inclined to believe it really is."

"Believe what you want but I'll eventually get it out of you. I got you to spill about your life. It wouldn't be so hard to make you talk what you learned about me." Shaoran said as he straightened himself and stood to leave.

Before he was able to leave, Sakura said, "Thanks, Shaoran for everything and for making me feel better. Maybe I'll actually sleep tonight."

Shaoran turned to her a little and replied, "Get some rest, Sakura. Try not to wake up screaming." He teased her. Sakura stuck her tongue out, making Shaoran smirk as he left.

XxXxXx

"What the hell did you do?" Ruby asked as she dabbed one of the wounds Yukito had on his back, one of those that he got while he was trying to get away.

Yukito winced a bit before answering, "You could at least try to be gentle."

"Well, sorry," Ruby answered sarcastically, "Don't mind me. I'm just wondering why a friend of mine arrives at my doorstep looking like he just walked through world war III. I apologize for caring."

Yukito let out a sigh. He knew even before he arrived that Ruby was bound to ask questions. She always does. She had served alongside the force a few years back before she joined Interpol, and came back to Japan after deciding to set up a flower shop along the outskirts of Tomoeda, where life she claimed was easier.

"I sort of came from an ambush." He finally answered. He knew he could trust her, no questions asked.

Upon hearing his answer, Ruby stopped what she was doing. "Ambush?"

"Yeah." Yukito paused, gathering his thoughts so that he could give the short version of the story to her. "Two detectives under me, Li Shaoran and Hiiragizawa Eriol, are working this case involving Sakura. Long story short, Touya found out and flew back here. We were at the airport waiting for him. When he was about to come out, all hell broke loose. It was like whoever was after Sakura knew what was going on, Touya coming home. There was a gun battle. Touya was taken and I told Shaoran to get Sakura out of there. I haven't had contact with him, Eriol or Sakura ever since."

Ruby was stunned. She fell silent. Yukito turned and looked at her. He couldn't read her. He knew that she was surprised but she never betrayed any emotion on her face.

"You are treading dangerous waters, Yukito, and I know you know that." Ruby said after awhile. "No wonder you come here looking like this."

Yukito didn't answer. Ruby finished in silence. As she started fixing the soiled gauze, she said, "You were involved with the airport incident. It's all over the news. Watching it, I'm going to be bold enough and say that whoever you all are dealing with right now is very dangerous, very dangerous indeed. I might even go as far as to say experienced."

"Experience? What do you mean?"

"Yukito, think about it. Airport. It is a busy, public place where foreign and local nationals fly in and out. Plus, from what I saw, it happened within airport grounds, beyond the doors that mark the start of Japanese soil. Airports are not exactly the country's soil. It is sort of like an international melting pot, where it is free from immediate national laws. They fall under local and international laws. Whoever is responsible is either stupid, which I doubt given the sophistication of what happened, or proud enough to do it without thinking of the consequences. Guts tell me that whoever is behind it is experienced in crime, which cross borders."

Yukito fell silent. He hadn't thought about it that way. He already knew that whoever was responsible was unlike what they have faced before. But to put it in an international scale, now that was big. He knew that during Shaoran and Eriol's unsolved cases, it was suspected in some that a criminal organization that controlled Asia's black market was responsible. No concrete evidence had been found as of present.

"I'll tell you what," Ruby offered, "I'll call some of my friends in Interpol and let's see what we can gather. I suggest you limit trusting just anybody with this. International cases are usually very sensitive."

Yukito could only nod. As Ruby made phone calls, he could only close his eyes and allowed his thoughts to drift back to Touya and Sakura.

XxXxXx

Meiling and Sakura sat by the garden, drinking tea. Since that morning, Meiling had come in her room and woke her up. After freshening up, Meiling had dragged her out of there and they have spent the time together. Sakura was grateful in a way. She knew that Meiling was going out of her way to cheer her up and forget the bad things that happened less than 24 hours back.

"So, Sakura," Meiling started.

Sakura looked at her as she set her cup of tea down. "What is the most embarrassing thing you've ever been through?"

She turned a shade of red. She wasn't sure how to answer that one. "Hmm...I'd have to say...when I first had my monthly visits..." Her blush seemed to turn to a darker shade when she said it.

"Really? What happened?" Meiling persisted.

"Well...back then...I wasn't speaking, speaking...I mean I refused to talk as I've told you and well..." Sakura was starting to get so uncomfortable with the topic. "I didn't have a mother to tell me about it. Can you imagine? I had to ask my brother what was wrong to me and he and Yukito-san were panicking of how to explain to me that I've started to become a woman and then about sexual intimacy...yeah...that tops the most embarrassing thing in my list. In the end, it was Tomoyo-chan's mother who had the 'talk' with me. At that moment, I wished I could just drop dead and never get up again out of embarrassment."

Meiling started laughing. Sakura couldn't help but giggle now that she remembered that specific memory. After awhile, Meiling commented, "I could only imagine you going through that. What did your brother or Tsukishiro-san do after?"

"We never talked about it. My brother teased me about it but when I gave him the cold shoulder and refused to even be in the same room as him, he said he was sorry."

"Ok. On to the next question," Meiling said enthusiastically. She had a plan up her sleeve. She wanted to pull a few strings. Sakura was then about to sip her tea. "Have you ever had a boy friend?"

Sakura almost choked at the question. She looked at the girl sitting across her with a grin on her face. "N-no. Do you actually think that with 'nii-chan and Yukito-san, a boy would actually take courage in asking me out? Ok fine maybe I'm exaggerating about the asking me out thing but seriously…do you really think that having two over-protective elder brothers can make guys stick around?"

"Well in that case, those guys are just sissy. They don't deserve to even breathe the same air if they didn't have the guts."

"From my love life, to Sakura's…geez Meiling don't you ever learn?" Came a voice from behind them, making them turn and watch as Shaoran looked at them from his place leaning against the open door. He then started to walk towards them.

Remembering the things that they talked about the previous night, Sakura suppressed a blush and opted not to comment. She brought her tea cup to her lips to prolong her time.

She couldn't help but roll her eyes when she saw him smirk when he looked at her. She noticed that he purposely sat in between her and Meiling. He poured himself some tea.

"Nice of you to join us, Shaoran." Meiling said mockingly.

"Of course. I just found the need to remind you that it is actually rude, not to mention annoying, to have you spill details about me behind my back."

Meiling raised an eyebrow and then tried to play innocent. "Whatever do you mean, Shaoran?"

He smirked and took a sip of tea. She then replied, "Don't even try, Meiling. Based from what Sakura said last night, don't even try."

"Last night huh?" Meiling then gave a knowing grin. She rested her chin on her hand as she leaned on the table, her gaze turning back and forth between her cousin and the girl in front of her. "Exactly what did you talk about last night after everybody went to bed?"

Sakura bit her lower lip. She opted to say nothing. She didn't want to share anything that may cause her some problems with Meiling. She knew how she felt about Shaoran.

"Oh not much. Only far enough to find out that you have been saying stuff about me to Sakura." Shaoran answered coolly. From the corner of his eyes, he could tell that Sakura wasn't comfortable with the conversation. "Anyway, changing the topic. If what you told me, Sakura, is true, then we should keep moving. It wouldn't be hard to track us here. I won't be able to protect you if we are caught off guard." That was when he fully turned his attention to Sakura, making her stiffen.

He then turned to Meiling and said, "I need you to do something. You have to take Wei out of here and bring him back to Hong Kong. Once you get there, I'll contact you again and give you instructions. Bring him back home and you stay there, you got me? Don't even try to disobey, Meiling."

Meiling was caught off guard. From the carefree talk they were having, Shaoran suddenly shifted it to a serious one. "Wait! Hold on! I'm missing something here. What exactly is happening?"

Shaoran's expression remained stoic. Sakura wouldn't meet her gaze. "All you need to know is that you have to get Wei and yourself to safety."

He then turned to Sakura and met her gaze. He could tell that fear was starting to overwhelm her but he noticed how hard she fought to keep it under control, keeping it from reaching her face. "Once they leave, we're leaving too." Sakura could only nod.

Shaoran stood without another word and turned to leave. "Get your stuff together, Meiling. Be ready to leave in an hour."

XxXxXx

Yamazaki was stretching. He had been seated there, working non-stop for the last 10 hours. He couldn't sleep so he opted to work instead. Chiharu then came walking in, pulling her coat on.

Chiharu sat next to him and glanced at the computer screen. It read 65% done. She then looked back at him. "Up all night?" Yamazaki nodded.

He typed some keys on the computer. He then handed something to Chiharu. "Man, it's heavily encoded. It's turning out to be a pain in the ass. I think the one who did it was the same one who I encountered last night in cyber. He's good." Yamazaki then clicked a few buttons and took out a flash drive, turning back to Chiharu. "Here. Take this. I need you to keep this. I need you to verify some stuff. I can't decode some parts. I guess I'm just tired."

"Alright. I'll work on it. I'll do the groceries first. There's coffee on the counter. But get some rest first." Chiharu said as she left him.

Yamazaki stood and headed to the kitchen to get himself a cup of coffee. He left the Computer running, continuing to decipher the videos. Most of the videos were heavily encrypted. He gave Chiharu a copy of everything. He was trying to do more than he already did. He let his program run.

When he got back with his cup, his eyes widened. A video clip was so clear that he recognized the man who shot a man. He watched how he and some men disappeared into the women's comfort room, only to exit later. He watched as another video inside the comfort room, from the angle from the door, showed exactly what happened inside.

Shaoran worked for that man! He quickly drew out his phone and hit Shaoran's number.

It seemed like a long time before he got an answer on the other line. "Shaoran! You won't believe who killed the man in the video, just inside the female rest room! He's-" Just then, his front door burst open. Armed men filled his room and aimed their guns at him. He then came face to face with the man in the video. Color drained from his face. He had no choice but to hold up his hands.

(to be continued...)

Ok, another chapter down. As things continue to unfold, I do hope that you guys are enjoying the story. Please send in what you think. I would really, really appreciate if you left a word instead of just reading. As for those who read the old version, I hope that you have read this one as well because I added a lot of details and like the previous chapters, have combined a few of the old chapters into this one. Anyway, thanks for reading. Please drop a review. Thanks.

Michiko


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Yamazaki!" Shaoran yelled over the line but there was no answer. The line then went dead. He knew something was very wrong. He cursed and immediately ran out of his door and barged into the guest room. He found her sitting there looking out the window. He walked over to her hurriedly.

Sakura stood when she saw him coming to her. The expression he wore, or the lack of it, told her that something had gone wrong. She didn't have to ask as Shaoran said, "We're leaving." That was all he said as he took the bag on the bed and made for the door. Sakura followed him out without another word.

Once they left the room, they were met by a confused Wei and Meiling. Shaoran threw the keys to the car to Meiling. "Drive. Drive to the airport as fast as you can. Board the next plane out to Hong Kong. Don't look back just drive."

He then turned to Wei and said, "Make sure to keep Meiling with you in Hong Kong. Don't let her out of your sight. I will contact you as soon as I can. Go on. We'll leave after you."

Every thing was happening so fast that it was like the fast forward had been pressed. When Shaoran led her to another car and opened the door for her, Sakura could say nothing as she slid inside. Shaoran then hopped in the driver's seat a moment after. He turned the engine and was driving down the drive way fast.

"W-what is it? You're scaring me..." Sakura said.

She had said it in a soft voice. If Shaoran's senses weren't high, he would have probably missed it. He glanced at his side. Sakura wasn't looking at him but rather on the road ahead.

"Remember what you said?" He asked. Sakura looked at him but said nothing. He could feel her gaze on him. "I went over a few leads. I got a hold of videos of the day you and Daidouji-san were at the Asturias. You're right. When we were walking down the hallway and you said we were being watched, we were...probably the same people who encrypted the videos of that day. Now, the man I trusted with those videos to be decoded seems to have been attacked already. He found something...the real identity of the men most probably. It won't be long before they trace us back to my house. That is why I had to get Meiling and Wei out of there...also, you." Shaoran explained as he then glanced back to Sakura before turning his gaze back on the road.

She couldn't help but stiffen with what Shaoran told her. She cringed. She closed her eyes to will the feeling of dread away. Surprisingly, it was easier than she thought. It had been her life after her parents' murder that it had been very tiring to be afraid all the time.

"You ok?" Came Shaoran's voice, bringing her back to reality. She hadn't even realized that her mind had wondered off that far.

"You mean aside from us running for our lives again? Yeah I'm fine." She replied in a tired voice.

Shaoran smirked. "I never thought that you are heavy with sarcasm."

"Actually I'm more angry than sarcastic. I want this to end. My brother is suffering. Your family is being involved. I don't know what else I could possibly do to help. Lastly, I'm tired of being afraid."

Shaoran said nothing at first. He knew all too well that she could eventually feel that way. He felt that way too. It was too much for someone to bear. He inwardly smirked that at least she didn't give up. "Go through the emotions, Sakura. Let it guide you if you don't know what to do now."

"Easy for you to say..." She retorted, not meaning for him to hear but he did nonetheless.

"Fine. Then lean on me." He said.

Sakura stiffened. No one aside from her brother and closest friends had told her that. When she didn't respond, Shaoran glanced at her and saw her shocked expression. He smirked and pulled the car over the side of the road.

He was about to say something when Sakura suddenly said, "Why would you say something like that?"

"Because whether you like it or not, I'm the only one you've got. I am your protector. But being with you for the past few days has told me that I have to be sincere with you. The only way for me to do that is to be your friend. I don't do anything like this for people less than friends."

"You...isn't this...too much...I mean...I don't mean I don't want to be friends but...isn't this beyond 'work'? I mean..."

"I know what you mean. I will be honest with you. This is turning out to be really big so it could claim both our lives. I'm not going without a fight and I think that you feel the same way. You said you wanted to do something. Well, I will be asking for your help. Let's solve it together. I hate the fact that they crippled my abilities in a way and I'm going to make them pay for it."

Sakura was silent. For some reason she was having conflicting emotions, emotions that she wasn't even sure what. She knew that he was waiting for her answer. She let out a breath and answered, "Ok. What do you need me to do?" She looked at him and caught him smirk.

"We're heading back. We're going back to a friend's apartment. It's risky but I need to find out what he uncovered. Right now, it's a dead end." Shaoran said as he started down the road again. He glanced at her and smirked again. He teased her, "If you weren't so popular, we could blend in easier with the crowd."

Sakura shot him a glare. "Funny. And here I was just thinking that it was you. If you weren't so handsome, maybe we would move easier without your fan girls swooning all over you. If they weren't so dense, they would have noticed by now that you don't even look at them the very least. Thinking about it, I actually can afford to spare them pity." She answered back, not realizing how it really sounded.

Shaoran was stunned to say the least at her retort. He hadn't expected that from her. Sure, he knew that she was pissed with the situation as he was but he never really saw her as the type who would retort in that way. She always struck him as very delicate and fragile...someone who always needed protecting. Now he saw her as a strong woman with a sharp intellect behind that outer exterior.

"Jealous are we?" He decided to tease her.

"Hardly." Sakura replied as she laughed a bit. "I'm just stating the obvious, Shaoran. Come on like you never really wondered why Meiling acts the way she does? I noticed it before and all throughout my concert." She laughed again.

"Now that is an exaggeration."

"You _wish _it was. But hate to break it to you, it's the truth."

"Fine. It's true. Not that I'm surprised...I have this appeal that makes me irresistible to women."

"As much as I would like to challenge that I'll admit that that answer suits your personality more. It goes well with the whole 'stoic and mysterious' kind of personality you are going for."

It made Shaoran grin again. "For someone who wasn't even supposed to be talking, you talk too much."

"I chose not to talk. And for the record, for someone who's supposed to be a stoic guy, you smirk too much." She answered with a slight frown.

"Ok, how can one person smirk too much?"

"Well if you are Li Shaoran, one is already too much from what I've gathered or rather...from what Meiling kept on saying earlier."

"Ah so you've been asking about me huh? Not enough what you found out yesterday from my cousin?"

"I told you to ask Meiling. She's the one who can't stop talking about you. Trust me...I don't even need to ask to get her started."

Shaoran groaned. That was Meiling's personality alright...but for some reason he didn't mind like he usually would do. "Next time, ask me. I can tell you a lot more than her. Plus, it's more credible."

"So that we are on the same page here, are we really friends now?"

"If you want to call it that, I suppose."

"Wait! Are you really Shaoran or just some guy pretending to be him? Seriously, you've sort of changed on me the past few days. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be bothered or not."

"I should be asking you the same question."

"I give up. I'm too tired to play mind games right now."

"Aww what's up, dear Blossom? Too much for you?"

Sakura stiffened after hearing that pet name. It sent shivers down her spine. She had been called that teasingly but the man who attacked her. Shaoran noticed it and cursed himself. He wished he could take it back.

"Please don't call me that...the only person who called me that is my mother and...that man last night...please don't utter it in that way..."

"I'm sorry, Sakura. I didn't mean to..." Shaoran let his words die out.

She gave him a small smile. How suddenly the mood in the car changed back to its gloomy state. "Yeah...I'm sorry too..." She replied quietly, enough to be heard.

Then there was silence. Neither Shaoran nor Sakura wanted to be the one to break it. Eventually it became a comfortable silence that soon was broken when Shaoran's phone rang.

XxXxXx

When Chiharu returned to their apartment, she dropped the groceries she bought. Her mouth hung wide as she immediately ran in but stopped suddenly at the door when she saw that everything was turned upside down, inside out.

As the initial shock wore out, she frantically looked for Yamazaki. She knew something bad happened. She wasn't sure if not seeing him there dead was a good thing or not. It then dawned on her to check the computers. She knew that what they were doing for Shaoran was dangerous. She knew it was a long shot and who ever did it had gotten their hard drive or have already destroyed it.

Chiharu cursed when she saw the sorry state their computers were. She then remembered that Yamazaki had handed her something very important. She quickly felt in her pocket and felt a surge of relief when she found the usb.

Chiharu grabbed her phone and quickly made her way out of there while dialing Shaoran's number. She needed to meet him and give the usb as soon as possible.

"Shaoran! Thank God! Listen they took everything. Takashi-"

"Yeah I know. He was talking to me when they took him. Where are you? Are you ok?"

"Yeah. I need to give you something. We have to meet somewhere. It's not safe here. I'll meet you at the intersection just outside Tokyo. You know the spot. I'm 15 minutes away."

"Alright. 15 minutes. We'll be there in 8."

XxXxXx

"Wei," Meiling started. The old man looked back at her. "I'm not going to Hong Kong."

The old man's eyes widened. "The Young Master-"

"I know. But something tells me that if I don't do something, we won't see him or Sakura ever again. I can do things in the shadows. I'm a Li after all. I won't go down easily."

Understanding swept over the old man. He knew that there was no stopping Meiling once she had set her mind on something. Even if Shaoran would hate him, he would allow Meiling to go.

"Just come back safe, my dear."

XxXxXx

Once Shaoran and Sakura arrived at the meeting place, both kept their gazes out of the window. The wait was almost excruciating. When Shaoran noticed Chiharu's car approach, he sat straighter. When she was close enough, Shaoran told Sakura to stay in the car while he got out and met Chiharu.

"Here," Chiharu said as she handed the usb over. "Much of it is still unfinished...less than half. They took our hardware and all the work they did. Takashi told me to verify some stuff but I think that you should have it now. It might actually help in a way."

"Thank you," Shaoran then looked at Chiharu and said, "I'll get him back alive, Chiharu. I swear."

Chiharu gave a forced smile and replied, "You know Takashi. He's too stubborn to die. But...thank you...I know you'll get him back. Please tell me though...what's going on..."

"I thought I knew too but somehow it's getting out of control. More and more lives are involved and are placed in danger."

Chiharu gave a nod. That was the closest answer she was going to get from him. She knew all too well that he never discusses any investigation unless they were directly working together.

"Is she ok?" Chiharu asked,

"Who?"

"Your girl friend."

"I don't have a girl friend but yes. She's fine. She's right there in the car."

"You brought her here and you don't introduce us? You seriously want to keep her to yourself?"

Shaoran just shook his head as he followed Chiharu towards his car. Sakura, who had been watching from inside, saw that they were walking towards her. She hesitated for a moment before finally opened the door and got out to meet them.

Chiharu's smile widened as she approached Sakura, who smiled back. "Hi. I'm Chiharu."

"Hi Chiharu. My name's Sakura. It's very nice to meet you."

"Likewise. It's good that the clothes fit you."

Sakura blushed. So she was the one who bought the clothes. She blushed a little more when she heard Chiharu's next statement, "Shaoran must like you a lot since he had me buy clothes for you. Shaoran rarely does that."

"We're not-" Sakura started, which Shaoran finished, "-together."

Chiharu raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Well anyway, you're in good hands, Sakura. He may seem cold at first but he knows how to take care of a lady."

Shaoran cleared his throat. He wasn't liking where the conversation was going. It felt very personal. He knew that it was going to be a distraction if he let it be.

"You said that it's not finished." Shaoran started looking at Chiharu. "Before the line went dead, he was saying something. He was about to tell me the identity of someone in the video. Did you happen to go that far?"

"I'm not sure what he found out. I left him to buy some stuff. Takashi must have found something while I was out."

Shaoran seemed to digest the information. He knew that what Yamazaki saw contributed to why he was taken. He looked at the flashdrive in his hand. He knew he had most of the answers already in his hand. He then glanced at Chiharu. "Keep a low profile, Chiharu. Don't return to Tomoeda. It isn't safe. Stay somewhere. I'll contact you when it is safe to return."

"Wait! You're not excluding me just like that. My boy friend's life is on the line too. I'm not about to just sit around and hide, do nothing while you take on this whole daunting thing on your own." Chiharu said, annoyed that Shaoran was brushing her off.

Shaoran's expression didn't betray anything. "You're not coming. You forget...this is an active investigation. I am telling you to stay clear while you can."

Sakura flinched a little. She hadn't heard him so serious before. The gravity of the situation in not foreign to her but she never really thought that more people were involved than what she originally thought. She said nothing as the two clearly wouldn't back down from their argument.

XxXxXx

Yamazaki was thrown into a dark room. He was unconscious. He was left there in the dark as his captors started sifting through the files in his computer.

XxXxXx

Shaoran sat at a bar, a glass of scotch in front of him. He was waiting for the girls to return. Chiharu had dragged Sakura along with her somewhere. He was worried but he knew that Chiharu wouldn't stray that far from him. He was confident that those two would do alright for awhile.

As he waited, he started to feel like someone was staring at him. He tried shaking off the feeling but Shaoran just didn't seem to be able to. It became a certainty. Pretty soon he felt a presence behind him, a moment later, seated next to him. Shaoran could tell it was neither Sakura nor Chiharu so he remained impassive.

"Hey there handsome. You don't mind me sitting here, do you?" A female voice spoke next to him. From the corner of his eye, he could tell that she was flirting with him. He chose to ignore her. He never liked women drooling all over him even when he was younger.

His mind then drifted towards Sakura. She was never like those women. She never threw herself at him, nor was she clingy. She was a sort of breath of fresh air. He couldn't help but inwardly smirk. He admired her now that he was thinking about it. But then it bothered him. He didn't want to understand why she had been the one to occupy his mind when he knew full well that they weren't together…that there was nothing going on.

"So, what's a handsome man like you doing alone? It's shame really. If you want, I could keep you company."

XxXxXx

"Honestly Sakura," Chiharu said as they walked. "What's the real deal between you and Shaoran."

"What do you mean, Chiharu?" Sakura answered. She was definite that neither her nor Shaoran had insinuated anything.

"Come on. Why do you think I dragged you away for a while. I've known Shaoran for a long time and I can say that he has never treated any girl the way he does with you." Sakura couldn't help but blush at the comment. She opted for silence as she willed the blush to go away. "You should know by now that girls are attracted to him but for some reason he never wastes his time on them. You, on the other hand, he would go such lengths to protect you and make sure you're comfortable."

"It's his job, Chiharu. That's basically it. We have a professional relationship, only that, but recently we agreed to be friends. That's all." Sakura replied with a smile. It was the truth after all. She could tell that Chiharu picked up the sincerity of her words when she sighed.

As they walked back, they started looking for Shaoran. They entered the inn once again and tried to find him. They eventually found their way near the bar of the lounge. Chiharu nudged Sakura and motioned for her to look. She noticed that there was a girl there.

"From his cold expression, he is pretty much annoyed right now. Why don't you go and bail him out?" Chiharu whispered.

"What do you have me to do? I'm not really sure I understand." Sakura whispered back, although she wanted to help Shaoran out.

Chiharu grinned mischievously and pushed Sakura slightly towards Shaoran. "I'm sure you'll figure it out. Go on so we can get out of here already."

Sakura let out a sigh and started walking towards Shaoran. She wasn't exactly sure what she was going to do but she had to agree with what Chiharu had said. Based on Shaoran's cold expression, he didn't like what was going on and the woman was indeed trying so hard to flirt with him. She shook her head as she pushed the thought about how funny the situation Shaoran found himself in.

As she approached, it seemed no one was paying her attention. She gently laid a hand on his shoulder, making his attention snap towards her direction. Without really thinking anymore, Sakura bent down and brushed her lips on his gently, catching him by surprise. Thank God he had his back towards the girl.

Sakura gave him a warm smile and said, "There you are. Sorry to keep you waiting. Oh! You have company." She turned towards the girl before continuing, "Who might you be?" Her expression never change but remained soft and sweet. The other woman was shocked at what she saw.

Shaoran immediately answered as he slipped an arm around Sakura's waist and pulled her close to him while standing up, "Nobody." He then pulled her closer and kissed her again, this time it was Sakura's turn to be surprised. She hid it but failed to hide her blush. She opted to keep smiling at him.

Shaoran smirked and said, "You look beautiful especially when you blush like that." He tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear and took out some money to pay for his drink. "Come on let's get going." Shaoran took her hand and led her out of there. He intertwined his fingers with hers and pulled her a little closer to him.

"Sorry bout that Shaoran but it didn't seem she was going to let you go if..." Sakura whispered but couldn't make herself finish. She blushed as what she had done dawned on her.

Shaoran smirked and lifted her hand and kissed it. He felt that they still had some audience. "Don't worry. Thanks for the save. It was getting really annoying."

Sakura couldn't stop her giggles now. She could remember quite clearly the situation he found himself in. He was someone who could get away from bad guys but couldn't seem to get away from flirty girls.

Listening to her laughter was like her music, sweet and pure. He couldn't help but smile.

"I can't believe that all it takes is for you to have fan girls to get that annoyed and powerless." She teased.

"Oh really? What about you? You didn't have to wait for a situation like this to kiss me. If you liked me a long time ago, you should have just said so and I would have kissed you. You didn't have to wait for an excuse." He replied.

Sakura was stunned to say the very least. She looked up to him and saw the teasing glint in his eyes. "Oh I hate you." She commented as she shook her head.

"Really? You didn't seem to a while ago." He teased some more, causing her to blush a deeper shade. She let go of him and walked towards Chiharu, not looking back at Shaoran. Chiharu had a grin oh her face, mimicking Shaoran's as they approached her. Sakura was red as a tomato, refusing to make eye contact.

XxXxXx

The phone rang and rang until it was picked up by a man with glasses. "Confirmed. He's fallen for the target." With that, the line went dead.

The man with glasses smirked and reported to the other men in the room, "It seems that even the coldest of detectives can be melted by the warmth from the blossom."

"Perfect. It will make things easier." Chief Sagato commented.

The lights were switched off and the projector was opened. Photos of Shaoran were shown. "Li Shaoran. Twenty four years old, born in Hong Kong, orphaned at 7. Raised there until he was 12 and moved here shortly after with his guardian and butler named Wei."

"He graduated from the Academy top of his class, knowledgeable of martial arts and is a sharp shooter." They continued to discuss all information that they have of Shaoran, wanting to understand how to out smart him and eliminate him once and for all.

Yu Fa Lei looked at the monitor in front of him. "So this is where the brat went all those years ago." He commented. "Interesting." He added as he leaned back on his chair.

"Brat?" Sagato asked, having heard the comment.

Yu Fa Lei twirled the remainder of his brandy within his glass, looking slightly bored and indifferent. "Years ago in Hong Kong, I met his parents. His father was all about morals and bull shit. I offered him a place within the organization, including offering him more power and wealth across Asia. The fool refused. He and his wife owned an empire there, a strong and influential empire. Since I couldn't get them to my side and they were in the way, I had them murdered. The idiots I assigned to finish them proved their stupidity when they were caught and convicted. I thought that their son was harmless but as he grew, I learned that the Li empire wasn't diminishing so I was going to have him eliminated as well. He escaped. Now I know where he ran to."

Sagato processed the information as he took a long inhale of his cigarette. "So he's been a thorn for all these year…cutting him off now would be about the right time. No one would suspect it is all part of this elaborate plan. It's about time if you ask me."

"The same could be said about Kinomoto Sakura. She and her brother should have died along their parents years ago. It only comes to show that it pays to be thorough. It is a mistake that will no longer be repeated."

"Come to think of it, her name does sound familiar. I just can't place where."

"It's not the time to reminisce, Sagato. You can reminisce as much as you want after but right now Li Shaoran and Kinomoto Sakura must be separated. It would make everyone's lives easier, especially theirs." Yu Fa Lei said.

"Might I make a suggestion," The man with glasses said.

XxXxXx

Sitting at a coffee shop while waiting for Chiharu was beginning to feel quite uncomfortable as time passed for both Shaoran and Sakura. They were seated by a booth for almost half an hour already. Chiharu had gone to see if she could find herself a laptop. They needed to start working.

"Have you gotten in touch with Yukito-san or Eriol-san yet?" Sakura finally said. She couldn't stand the silence any more.

He glanced at her who was seated beside him a little before answering, "No. I haven't. I'm sure they are fine." He would not admit it openly to her that he, himself, was starting to worry about his comrades. How come he couldn't get in touch with them for such a long time already? How were they exactly? More importantly, where were they?

His silent reverie was broken again when he heard her soft voice, "Yes. I trust that they are safe. That is what I want to believe too…" That was when he understood that she shared his thoughts and concerns.

"Did they contact you again regarding your brother?" Shaoran said. He watched how her eyes registered shock and sadness before she once again blocked all emotions from reaching her eyes.

"No. I think they like taunting me in this sick game of theirs." She replied. Her voice was frighteningly calm. Shaoran could tell the anger underneath it all.

"We will get him back, Sakura. I doubt he's going to say goodbye to this world easily. He isn't your brother for nothing."

A smile graced her lips before she finally allowed her gaze to meet Shaoran's. "How is it that you always know the right words to make me smile?"

Shaoran grinned and replied, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, "I already told you. I have this charm that makes me irresistible to women."

With this, Sakura couldn't help but giggle. "Did I bruise your ego so much that you have to punish me like this?"

"Is it working?"

Sakura laughed again. She hit his arm jokingly. "Let's put it this way…you have to try harder than that."

"Damn. Oh well…seeing as you are stubborn, I guess it couldn't be help. But you should know I can be just as stubborn."

Sakura knew that he was teasing her back. She shook her head and simply smiled. She knew that the only reason why he was doing this was to make her feel better. He must have understood that by asking about her brother and the others brought back this worry and sadness in her.

"You want to know what you can do for me to help?" He asked.

She looked at him patiently, waiting for his answer. "Just smile, Sakura. That's all you need to do. Just smile for me." He said. She could feel her cheeks grow warm as they shared eye contact. She couldn't seem to turn away. When she saw him smirk, she understood that he was indeed testing he more. She playfully hit his arm again, making his smirk grow a little bit bigger.

"You know, you two really look good together." Chiharu said as she smiled and sat in front of them. She noticed that they both blushed, although Shaoran hid his pretty quickly before his usual stoic, cool face returned.

"What took you so long?" He asked.

Chiharu was currently starting up the laptop before she started decoding again. "I'm not as rich as you, oh almighty one, so I didn't have enough cash on me to even get a new one. I had to go to the bank and take out some money like normal people do." She answered.

Shaoran didn't say anything as he handed over the flashdrive. "Here. As long as you didn't do anything stupid, I'm letting that retort go."

Chiharu just smiled as she continued to type. She didn't seem to mind what Shaoran said. It was like she was in her own world. They could tell that she was in concentration with the task at hand.

Sakura's phone then vibrated. She took it out and was almost reluctant to check who sent her a message. She kept her hand from shaking as she read the message. _"My dear, we are holding Tomoyo's…funeral…I know that right now you are in danger. She is to be cremated tomorrow at noon. I hope this reaches you well. If it's too dangerous, don't come. – Aunt Sonomi."_

Sakura could feel tears well up in her eyes. She took a shaky breath in before she returned her phone in her pocket. The gesture caught Shaoran's attention. His imploring eyes told her that he was wondering if she was alright. His silence told her that he trusted her enough to tell him if there was something wrong.

She forced a smile and tried to keep her voice even. "They are still…Tomoyo's funeral…she will be cremated tomorrow. I know…my Aunt wants me there…she needs me there. But she told me that if it's too dangerous, I shouldn't go."

A few stray tears escaped her eyes but she still fought to contain her sobs. Shaoran placed a hand on the small of her back and gently pulled her towards him. He held her close as she clung to the front of his shirt and silent tears finally escaped her eyes. He could feel his shirt grow damp but he didn't hear anything from her.

Chiharu looked up from the laptop and was about to ask what was wrong but the look Shaoran gave her told her that she should hold her tongue. Neither said anything as they waited for Sakura to calm back down.

When Shaoran felt that Sakura's general feeling had changed, he whispered, "Go, Sakura. You have to go."

She left the warmth of his arms and looked at him a little confused. He only smirked and said, "She was your manager, Sakura. But more than that, you told me she's your best friend. You were really close. I'm not going to let this…let you stop living your life. Go to her. That's all you have to think about. Let me worry about the dangers. If your Aunt knows how dangerous it is, I'm sure she will do everything in her power to keep you safe as well."

Sakura still hesitated. She took out her phone. "If I make this call, she will call the police for assistance. You know full well-"

"Your Aunt is Daidouji Sonomi, right? You can tell her that her body guards are enough protection. She doesn't need to call anyone else."

She still hesitated. She knew that he knew full well her and Tomoyo's background. It was his job after all. She let out a shaky sigh and started dialing. After a few rings, the other line was picked up.

"Aunt Sonomi?"

"Sakura! Oh my God! How are you? I've been worried sick! And you're talking!"

"I'm fine, Aunt Sonomi. I'll be there for Tomoyo-chan. Please don't tell anybody that I can speak and please, please don't call the police for assistance. Your body guards are ok if you are worrying about my safety."

There was a pause from the other line. Sakura bit her lower lip. "Alright." Her aunt's voice was solemn. "I will do just that. Are you sure it's safe for you to come? After your concert last night…I don't want to lose another daughter…"

"It's fine, Aunt Sonomi. I'm…" Sakura's voice faltered. "I'm sorry…I wasn't…there…for Tomoyo-chan."

"Yes you were as you still are. Just come home safe, Sakura. Take care, my dear."

"I will. Be safe, Aunt Sonomi." Sakura answered as she hung up. She felt new tears well up in her eyes but as she looked back at Shaoran, she fought them down. She forced a smile for him.

"Uh…do you mind if I freshen up a bit?" She said.

Shaoran stood and let her pass. She whispered a thank you as she headed to the comfort room to freshen up.

"Chiharu, do you mind?" He said.

"Not at all." She answered as she followed Sakura. She was worried about her too.

Shaoran sat and turned the laptop to face him. There were a lot of windows opened. There were a lot of things being done that he hadn't even noticed that Chiharu had started. As he glanced at the progress, he knew that they cannot view the contents there. There were a lot of people whom they didn't know. It might put their lives in jeopardy. He decided to bring them somewhere safer before they viewed what they had.

XxXxXx

"Are you ok?" Chiharu asked as she got some paper towels while Sakura splashed cold water on her face, washing away all the tears that stained her face.

She thanked Chiharu as she was handed the paper towels. "Yeah...I'm sorry if I worried you two."

"From what I gathered, you lost your best friend."

Sakura said nothing in reply as she brought her eyes to look at her reflection. She didn't want fresh tears to come.

"It's ok to feel depressed. You don't have to apologize." Chiharu said as she leaned against the sink, looking as the inner battle Sakura was having being completely turn to her usual serene self. She watched her beautiful features regain their softness, a shadow of a smile dancing in her lips.

Sakura turned to Chiharu, a genuine smile reaching her eyes. "Thank you for understanding, Chiharu. I've been on an emotional rollercoaster for a few days already. Frankly, I'm not sure how long I can keep this up."

"You have Shaoran backing you up and me. But for what it's worth, you are holding up pretty well given your situation."

"That's because I never felt alone." Sakura replied softly as she opened the door and started to head back.

"And I doubt you ever will. Knowing Shaoran, he will go great lengths to keep that from happening."

Sakura blushed. As much as she wanted to answer back, no words came out. Once she saw Shaoran, her blush grew a little more as she mentally shook her head.

Chiharu could have laughed at the girl. The innocence she had towards that was something else. But she opted to smile instead. It was better that way. At least it distracted her enough from thinking the predicament she was in.

XxXxXx

Shaoran and Sakura sat inside the car, parked on a corner near where Tomoyo's remains were. They left Chiharu in a safe location while she worked the videos.

"You can do this." Shaoran said, putting an end to the conflict he knew Sakura was having inside her head. He watched as Sakura took a deep breath.

"Shaoran, can you do me favor?" She said while looking ahead. He said nothing as he waited for her to continue. "If something is to happen, please protect my aunt. She's been through enough. Save her first before me."

To say that he was stunned at her request was an understatement. "You know that I can't do that right?" His voice was serious.

He moved swiftly, an arm behind the passenger seat and another at the dash board, leaning closer to her with a serious expression. "Don't take the guilt of surviving the last couple of days while the others haven't. You didn't do anything wrong. Do not endanger your life needlessly."

Sakura said nothing as she shifted her gaze back at the front. With a gentle hand, Shaoran bid her gaze to return to him. He then spoke in a gentler voice, "My duty is to protect you before anyone else. But to soothe your fears, that doesn't mean I will forget all others. I told you let me handle the dangers. You shouldn't speak that way."

She leaned on his touch. "Then please don't leave me, Shaoran. I don't think...I can go through this. I can't look at Aunt Sonomi while knowing I left her daughter that day."

"Didn't I just tell you that it's not your fault? I also remember telling you to not speak this way while we were at the hospital. You really are stubborn."

Sakura said nothing again and almost glared back at him, making him smirk. "So will you go through with this? This should be an easy decision after adamantly deciding to go through with the concert."

"I'm not saying I'm not going." Sakura replied.

From the sound of her voice, he knew she was slightly annoyed. He simply grinned and straightened out.

XxXxXx

Sakura stood at the balcony, letting the cold night breeze blow through her hair. She kept herself together through the service to honor her best friend and all the while she was being cremated. She stopped herself from shedding a single tear. She wanted to be strong for her Aunt Sonomi and their great grandfather.

The mantra Shaoran told her kept repeating in her mind. It wasn't her fault. It was never her fault. She decided to mourn her loss with a free conscience. She knew that was what Tomoyo would have wanted it anyway.

From the silence of the balcony, she could hear her aunt's wails from her room. She knew the older woman held it together to face everyone but now that her only child was really gone, she couldn't hold anything back anymore.

Sakura could only close her eyes to keep herself from shedding tears. She committed herself to never show her Aunt her tears because she feared that it might break the older woman's heart more. During the ceremony and the agonizing wait for Tomoyo's body being fully cremated, her Aunt had approached her and privately they talked about the current situation. They talked about what was happening, what happened and their fears of what was to come. Sakura could remember strongly her Aunt's words…about her viewing her now as her only daughter, just like she had always thought and treated her after her mother's death years back.

Shaoran had been looking for Sakura for the past couple of minutes. He had been told that she had retired to her room. He knew that it wasn't gentleman-like to intrude without asking her for permission to enter when he knocked and she didn't answer. But he threw caution in the wind as he strode inside when he noticed she wasn't in bed when he opened to check in on her.

He saw the balcony doors open, the soft white curtains fluttering with the wind. He approached without making much sound. He stood by the open doors, leaning to his left with arms casually crossed to his chest. His amber eyes watching the girl bathed in moonlight, making her look much like an ethereal being sent from the heavens.

Just like her, he could hear the sobs from Sonomi. He watched in awe at Sakura's determination to stay strong. Not once that day did he see her shed tears but for fleeting moments, he saw her eyes tear up, only to be controlled. He could offer her soothing words or even take her into his arms but he could tell that she needed the silence now.

Taking her in his arms? The thought occurred to him like it was the most natural thing in the world. It was supposed to bother him but he was more curious now at why a thought like that would cross his mind so naturally…like she had always belonged in his thoughts.

For the past few days, there had been a lot of people teasing him about how he acted towards Sakura. He refused to think at first that this girl in front of him had slowly changed him. But the more the thought about it, the more convinced he was that maybe they were right. It wasn't mere teasing. They were actually saying the truth. He wasn't going to admit that though. He was stubborn enough to fight that. He was a professional after all. He never falls in love with a job. That was what Sakura was at that moment…his job.

One thing is for sure though and Shaoran would give her that. Sakura was different from the girls he had met in the past. She doesn't act the girls he had encountered. She was more than the emerald eyes, ivory skin, chestnut brown hair, or epitome of femininity. She was so much more as he was beginning to learn. Whether he liked it or not, admit it or not, she was more than his curiosity. She was more than a fleeting thought. He was already in too deep with her to back away now. He allowed her in his life and for the thought to bloom because he deemed her worthy. He allowed himself to show compassion towards her because she had shown him nothing but passion and truth, unafraid to witness it head on with him.

"Thank you…for not saying anything." His thoughts were disrupted by her soft voice. She slowly turned towards him and gave him a smile that lit up her beautiful face, making her look more like an angel.

He gently pushed himself from the door frame and took silent steps towards her. She tucked a few strands of stray hair behind her ear as she regarded him.

"It felt like if I didn't say anything, we'd be silent all night."

As he stood in front of her, Shaoran smirked, amusement crossing his eyes for a split second. "How long have you known I was around?"

"Not long really," Sakura admitted. "I had been listening to my aunt, checking to see if she'd need me. But knowing you, I knew sooner or later you'd be checking on me. I was right."

"Damn. If I'm becoming predictable, I should re-think my strategy."

Her laughter filled the space between them. It was a sweet sound after such a long, exhausting day. "You're not growing soft, Shaoran. After you've ingrained in me that you're here to stay by my side, it is already an expectation…something you are doing quite well actually."

He took a step forward, making her take an involuntary step back as he invaded her personal space. Soon, she felt her back hit the balcony rail. Shaoran caged her there with his arms on either side of her on the balcony railing. He kept her gaze. There was something sharp, piercing in his gaze. Sakura felt that he could stare right into her soul.

"Don't hide. I've seen your tears all day and I've also seen you hide them. I gave you room. Now it's time to be truthful to yourself."

"W-what…are you-"

The side of his mouth drew into a lopsided grin. "Has anyone told you that you are a lousy liar?" Sakura's breath caught in her throat. Her cheeks grew warm. It wasn't out of embarrassment but slight anger that he was now pushing her again when she was doing quite well in containing her emotions.

"Shaoran-"

He drew one of his long fingers along the curve of her jaw. Sakura could feel goose bumps run through her. She wanted to melt then and there. She grabbed his wrist, stopping his movement.

"Since when have you been afraid to express your feelings?"

"It's not a question if I'm afraid or not, Shaoran. I can't."

"Why can't you?"

"I need to be strong. Aunt Sonomi…Great grandfather…"

"They know you are suffering, Sakura. Seeing you like this, fighting your emotions and denying yourself to grieve…don't you think that it's hurting them more?"

She opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. She looked into his eyes. They were still as piercing…as knowing but now she saw such gentleness that finally broke the walls she was trying to build around her heart. One by one, tears started slipping through her eyes.

Shaoran drew a hand at the small of her back as he did the day before and drew her closer, his other arm encircling her waist, keeping her close to him. Her hands drew in fists on his shirt, clutching to him for dear life. She knew at that moment that she couldn't hide anything from Shaoran. She knew that she can allow herself to break down even for awhile if he was there. He always seemed to be there to catch her when she felt like she was falling.

He said nothing as he held her. She was an amazingly strong woman. Shaoran would give her that. The way she acted amidst all of the things she'd seen, been through, and are going through, not once did he see her submitting to it in her eyes. He had seen and felt all her emotions the past few days. To still have the first thought of helping others, she had a very strong character. He felt the need to protect that. He would die trying if he had to.

It seemed like a long time for her to have control over her tears again but Shaoran didn't seem to mind. He continued to say nothing as he held her. Sakura held on to him too, not wanting to let go. He was right. He was all she had at that moment who knew the entirely of the situation she was in.

Sakura found herself clinging to him for strength. Whenever she could find herself in his arms, she felt calm and protected. It surprised her that she didn't want to be anywhere else than where she was at the moment. As she leaned in on his shoulder, she allowed herself to wonder if she had already fallen for him. It was a scary thought but it did cross her mind. As quickly as it came, she pushed it away, not wanting to think about it. She didn't want to destroy the trusting relationship that they had now. She closed her eyes as she listened to his steady heart beat, wondering if one day it would beat for her.

"Shaoran," She started. As much as she didn't want to say it, she knew she had to. "I can't always lean on you like this." She broke off from his grasp, enough to look up at him. "Once this case is over…" She couldn't bring herself to finish as she let her voice die down. She looked away.

She felt him guide her to look back at him. When she did, she didn't have time to ask as she felt his lips on hers. Her eyes widened in shock before she let herself go and sink into his warmth, returning the kiss. Shaoran didn't know what to say. He didn't want to think. He let his instincts guide him and at that moment, the pull she had on him was painfully irresistible.

It was a chaste kiss yet filled with unspoken passion. It was brief and it left a taste of what could be if only they allowed it. "I don't like repeating myself but for you, I'll make an exception." He said.

He then looked at her and said, "I'm here, Sakura. I'll always be here. Lean on me."

Sakura didn't know what to say. As he grazed his fingers on her jaw, she leaned on his touch and smiled. "You know what? You're my first kiss." A tint of pink staining her cheeks.

She opened her eyes soon enough to catch his smirk. He bent a little and captured her lips once again. This time it felt like a promise that there were more to come.

"That's good. Now that I've successfully took it, forget that man's touch. I will never let anyone touch you like that." He whispered in her lips.

She knew what he was talking about. She was grateful of his kiss. It never felt so right. She allowed herself to feel the emotions Shaoran was offering her. She allowed him to comfort her...into her life like she hadn't before because she knew he would never betray her trust and he would protect her like he said he would.

"I thought that you've already kissed someone else considering you walked up to me yesterday and kissed me." He proceeded on to tease her.

She blushed just a little more before she replied, "I didn't kiss you. If I remember correctly, you kissed me after."

"Oh? What do you call it then?"

"I simply brushed my lips with yours ever so lightly and if I may be blunt for once...that was saving your ass."

"Call it what you want but it's still defined as a kiss."

Sakura was blushing like mad. She was tongue-tied. She leaned her forehead on his shoulder in an attempt to hide her blush. She felt him encircle his arms around her.

"Don't be embarrassed, Blossom." He whispered gently. "If it weren't for you, I would have been stuck there with that annoying woman for longer than I could handle."

When he called her 'blossom', somehow it felt different. It somehow felt endearing, slightly different from when her mother would call her that.

"Can we stay like this for awhile?" Sakura whispered. She then looked up and met his gaze. "I just want to feel safe…please."

Shaoran smiled at her and placed a kiss on her forehead before tightening his embrace. "Anything you want, Blossom." He could feel her smile against his chest as she pulled him closer to her.

Eventually, Sakura leaned on the junction of Shaoran's neck and shoulder, her nose gently grazing his skin. She could smell his calming scent. She closed her eyes and whispered, "You know what…I can't help but wonder why this is happening to me. I mean…wasn't it enough that my parents were taken from me years ago and now…" She felt his arms tighten around her.

Shaoran buried his nose on her hair, inhaling the scent of sweet cherry blossoms and a tinge of vanilla. He closed his eyes and tried to think of the right things to say. Eventually he broke the embrace and gazed directly at her eyes. "Come. Let's get you inside. It's getting cold out here. I don't want you to get sick."

Sakura gave him a small smile and allowed him to take her and intertwine their fingers, leading her inside. He led her to her bed and gently carried her bridal style and settled her in the middle of the bed. He then climbed in and sat at her side, wrapping his arms around her once more as they leaned back on the headboard.

"Years ago," Shaoran started. He decided to share his darkest secret with her. He wanted her to know that he understood her. He wanted her to feel that she wasn't alone that he was there for her, with her. "I too lost my parents." He felt Sakura stiffen and then look up at him. He met her gaze and continued, "They too were murdered."

"Oh Shaoran…I'm sorry."

Shaoran offered her a small smile before brushing his lips to hers once more. He then motioned her to settle against him once more.

"I can remember the night they left, the last night I saw them. There was a party back in Hong Kong. You see, my parents owned one of the biggest companies there, under the Li corporation. I was 7 at the time. I was grounded because I had let my grades slip because I was too excited with martial arts. My father told me that if I get my grades up, I could return to training and he would take me to his work some time."

Sakura stayed silent, letting him reveal everything he wanted to her. Shaoran started to run one hand through her hair, gently caressing her.

"I tried to wait up but I fell asleep. When I woke up at the middle of the night, my parents still weren't home. I asked Wei but he told me that they still weren't there and made me hot chocolate and even gave me extra marshmallows. The next day, I still didn't see my parents during breakfast. I honestly didn't want to go to school because I wanted to be there when they arrived. Wei convinced me that my parents weren't going to be happy if I skipped so I went to school. I took my math test and passed it with flying colors. I was excited to go home and show my father. When Wei came and picked me up, I had a feeling something was wrong. I tried to ask Wei about it but then I was afraid of what he would answer. So I waited until we got home. When we arrived, that was when I learned about everything."

Sakura could feel the gravity of Shaoran's emotions. She reached out a hand and intertwined it with his other hand, the one that wasn't running through her hair. With their intertwined fingers, Shaoran gently brought it closer to his lips and turned her hand and kissed it. Sakura looked up to meet his eyes. Her eyes were filled with unshed tears. Her heart knew what he was truly saying and why he was saying them.

Shaoran smiled and leaned in to kiss her. She allowed the gentle brush of their lips.

"I don't know, my Blossom, why this had to happen. But know that I understand what you are going through, the pain, the loneliness, the fear, the anger. Even if the men who committed the act against my parents have been convicted, those who gave the order are still out there. That is why I became a detective…to help stop this." He bid her to meet his gaze once more and laid her hand on his chest by his heart before continuing, "I am here, Sakura. As long as this heart beats, I will not give up and will always protect you. I don't know what it means to love. I have never been in love before. I've never even told anyone this before. Just know that you are special to me, maybe it started out as a simple job but-"

"Shhh," She said as she laid a finger on his lips. "I know and I understand. You do not need to say it. Thank you for sharing with me your hearts, your trust. I know how hard it is to let go, even share it…so thank you."

Shaoran gave her a genuine smile. He was happy for the first time in his life. He was happy that he had made the right choice in making the gamble of sharing the most hidden part of him with her. He had felt lighter, lighter than he had ever felt ever since his parents' deaths.

He drew her in within his arms once more and settled her head on the crook of his neck and laid his head gently on hers. "Try to get some sleep, Blossom. I will stay with you until you fall asleep. You have had a long day."

"Good night, Shaoran."

"Good night, Blossom."

XxXxXx

Yamazaki woke up, slightly dazed. As consciousness started to creep back at him, a sudden shot of pain overwhelmed him making him close his eyes. For a split second, he wasn't exactly sure where the pain was coming from.

As his other senses started to kick in, he allowed his body to lay on his back, trying hard to keep the pain in check. It took awhile to calm his breathing. When he had finally managed to do so, he opened his eyes again and saw nothing but darkness.

Judging by the hardness against his back, he knew that he was lying on the cold floor. Yamazaki waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness more before he scanned his surroundings. He looked around and realized that it was a small room with almost nothing inside.

He wasn't bound or anything but he was injured, badly beaten up. He tested how bad it was by trying to move. He squinted a little when he started but after a while, he couldn't help but smirk when he realized that his injuries weren't as bad as he thought they were.

Yamazaki glanced at the door, he saw a small amount of light coming from beneath it. He tried to hear from beyond the door. He strained as much as he could but he couldn't hear anything.

Lying back down, he willed his mind to calm down. Obviously these men were ruthless. They were the people who were sworn to protect them. They will not hesitate to kill him. He had to figure out a way to escape as soon as possible. His life depended on it. Besides, he wasn't planning on letting the secret of the mastermind's identity die with him. He was going to get it to Shaoran. He knew that he would still have that knowledge but he'd be damned if he didn't get new information and get out.

Yamazaki smirked again as his determination, his resolve to get out alive grew stronger by the minute. He closed his eyes and without realizing it, fell back asleep.

XxXxXx

Meiling watched the airplane taxi and take off.

"You should have gotten in the plane." She said as she turned and looked back.

Wei smiled at her and said, "You should have too, my child."

Meiling grinned and replied, "Well it seems that stubbornness runs in the family." She walked over to the car as Wei opened the door for her.

"Master Shaoran isn't going to like this one bit but it seems it cannot be helped. Also, I wouldn't want our cherry blossom be put in harm's way."

"I know, Wei, I know."

XxXxXx

Sakura sat in the couch, Shaoran seated not far from her. They sat by the fireplace of the spacious living room, in front of Sonomi. The room was silent for awhile as they waited for tea to be served.

"So," Sonomi started, finally breaking the silence. "What are you planning to do now?" She directed the question at Sakura.

For a moment she was speechless but then answered, "I'm really sure, Aunt Sonomi. I plan to stay alive...at least...long enough for 'nii-chan to be found."

"Sakura, I have a proposition." She said. The younger woman said nothing. "In a few days, Grandfather, your great grandfather, will be leaving the country to go to Europe for awhile. Why don't you go with him? I've already talked to him and he agreed for you to come. All is set."

Sakura was stunned to say the least. Her aunt had said it with such finality that it somehow tugged at her heart.

"But-" Sakura started.

"This is not subject to argument. After what happened, we came to a conclusion last night." Her aunt had said.

Sakura's heart sank. "I'm sorry. But I can't...I won't." She replied.

"Like I said, this is not subject to argument. You are leaving in two days."

"I'm not going to leave my brother. I'm not going to run away while he fights for his life alone."

"I know you want to save him. We all do but we will not risk your safety."

Tears started flowing from her eyes. "Please...don't...safety? I never cared about it...the moment I witnessed my parents deaths...I knew safety is never going to be tangible anymore. I swore...my brother and I...we will always be there for the other especially if something happened."

"Words won't keep you alive, my dear."

"I know. But running away won't either. I know who is responsible. I will not leave the airport alive...neither would great grandfather if I go."

"You're leaving, that's final." Before Sakura could react, Sonomi motioned someone in. "I'd like you to meet Yue. He's going to be your personal body guard and will make sure you leave on that plane." With that Sonomi stood and left the room.

"Aunt Sonomi. Aunt Sonomi!" Sakura said as she tried to follow her but was stopped by Yue, gripping her arm.

He didn't say anything as Sakura looked at him. "Let me go."

"No. It's been decided. My orders are to keep you within this house and take you safely to the airport. My contract binds until you leave Japanese soil." He said.

Sakura clenched her jaw together. "Let me go. If I'm to stay here as you say, don't treat me like a child. I can find my way. I've been doing that the moment my parents died."

Yue slowly eased his grip on her arm. Sakura retracted her arm and walked away. She glanced at Shaoran and looked away not saying anything. Shaoran followed her as did Yue. He had never seen her like that. He wanted to smirk at the sheer stubbornness the girl had.

XxXxXx

Shaoran closed the door once he got inside. He knew that she was peeved to say the least.

"Sakura." He said.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I am more inclined in letting you go. She's right. You are in danger here."

"So you would rather me run while everyone here dies, including you?"

"Yes."

Sakura shook her head and uttered under her breath, "...unbelievable..."

"Will you stop being stupid? You have to go and be safe. If it means running away then run, Sakura."

Sakura took a hard breath and opened her eyes again. "I've been running all my life. I guess that's the only thing I'll ever be to people...someone who should just run and be stupid. Yeah. Thanks for understanding for a minute there I thought you wouldn't."

"Why are you making this so damn hard?"

"Me? I never asked for this. I didn't go around looking for people to kill me but it seems that right now I have this big target on my head."

"That is why you have to leave. I can understand why your aunt wants you to go. I also want you to be safe."

"So this 'lean on me', 'I'm here' was all a lie then? I thought that you needed my help?"

Shaoran clenched his fists and made himself to calm down. It was tugging at his heart. He was torn of letting her go or letting her stay by his side to protect her. But it was an inner battle that he wouldn't let her know. Sonomi had presented an opportunity to keep her safe. He wasn't one to waste that. He wanted her as far away from the danger as he could get her to. Just like that, the choice was easy. He wasn't lying to her then but he was going to lie to her now…just to keep her safe, he would say something that he didn't want to say and she didn't want to hear to make sure that she lived.

"Yes. Damn it! I am a detective, Sakura. My job first and foremost is to protect you since you were assigned to me. I am a professional. I think things through rationally to get my job done. Right now, this is the most rational thing." He said as emotionless as possible. His voice was hard. He noticed her flinch and her eyes register the hurt. He hated doing this but he had to. He wasn't going to fail in protecting her.

It took a moment but Sakura eventually found her voice. "I asked you to stay with me because...so I'm the distraction…ok. I know you have a job to do and I don't expect you to fail. You're right though…I'm being stupid. I'm stupid enough to believe that you actually care about me more than 'a simply job'. I'll go. I'm sorry for troubling you." With that, she walked past him not turning back. She could feel her heart shatter into a million pieces but she was determined to not show him a single tear. She wouldn't cling to him again. She walked away while creating this wall around her heart and soul. She wasn't going to utter a single word to him again after this.

Shaoran couldn't do anything but to watch her go. His knuckles were turning as white as a sheet for clenching them to tight. He had hurt her, something he vowed he would never do. Even if it was for her own good, it wasn't making him feel any better. He struck the wall with as much force as he could in an attempt to release all the pent up emotions he had.

He could still feel the ghost of the kisses he shared with her. He had opened his heart for her and she was opening hers to him. He silently cursed fate for making this happen. In the end, he failed her. He failed to protect her because he couldn't protect her from him. He couldn't protect her heart from getting hurt.

XxXxXx

Sakura made her way towards her room. She was surprised when she saw Yue waiting for her by her door. She stopped walking as he looked up to her. He straightened himself and looked at her. It took a moment before she willed her feet to start moving again.

She walked passed him and before she disappeared behind her door, she heard him say, "I'll be here outside. I'll keep watch and if you need something."

"Thank you. I just want to be alone for now." She threw back at him with a soft smile. He simply nodded and resumed his position as she slowly closed her door.

Once the door closed, Yue said, "You heard what she said," He then turned towards the corner. "She wants to be alone. I doubt she would make you an exception."

Shaoran stepped from his spot beyond the corner and looked back at Yue. His expression was as unreadable as the man before him. "I'm not here for her."

Yue stood straighter and faced Shaoran. He said nothing. "You make sure she doesn't get hurt and she will leave Japan safely."

Yue smirked. "I never fail. Besides, I don't answer to you. I'm not doing this for you."

"I know. But know that I will hunt you down if even a single hair in her head gets touched."

Yue smirked again and replied, "Don't compare me with you, Li. I don't let emotions get in the way. It's time to start doing your job. If you had, she wouldn't have to leave, now would she?"

Shaoran's eyes narrowed. "Remember what I said. I will not repeat myself." He said coolly as he turned and walk away.

XxXxXx

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A voice said as Yamazaki tried to get up. His head was spinning and was inclined to laid back down to stop his head from spinning. He brought his hand on his head. It was hurting like hell.

"Take it easy for a while. It will eventually recede." A man's voice came again.

"Fuck," Yamazaki exclaimed. After awhile, he slowly sat up and opened his eyes, coming face to face with a man as badly beaten as him. He seemed familiar but it wasn't registering in his head.

The man across him smirked. "Good to see that you're one of the living." He commented.

"Yeah well right back at ya. You look familiar. Have we met before?" Yamazaki said as he leaned back on the wall to support him. His head was still spinning.

The man smirked again. "Not that I know of. The name's Kinomoto Touya. You are?"

Yamazaki's eyes widened in surprise. Right! That was why he looked familiar! He was the brother of Sakura, Shaoran's case. Touya smirked again upon seeing his reaction.

"Damn! Never thought that I'd meet you like this!"

"My thoughts exactly."

"Listen, I was working with a detective, Li Shaoran. He's taking care of your sister."

At the mention of Sakura, Touya visibly stiffened. His eyes darkened a little bit. "My sister? What exactly is happening? How is she?"

"I'm not exactly sure but I think she witnessed something that she shouldn't have. Because of it, a lot of very dangerous people are after her. I was working the case and eventually found the identity of one of the men who I think is involved and in charge when they raided my apartment and found myself in this shit hole." Yamazaki explained.

Touya said nothing. He was processing every word. He was becoming desperate for news. He was told that his sister went though some stuff according to Yukito but he hadn't explained anything in detail over the phone.

Yamazaki seemed to understand Touya's concerns as he suddenly said, "Listen," It was effective to catch his attention once more. "She's in good hands. My best bud is one of the best. He's not going to let anything happen to her. Knowing him, he'd rather die than let anything happen to her, especially with how he's been treating her. I've known him for a long time and I've never seen him treat a woman with much sincerity and affection, even for his standards."

Touya wasn't saying anything again. Yamazaki wasn't sure if it got him angrier. He quickly amended, "Shaoran is a professional. He never fails in anything. He's definitely not going to fail in protecting Sakura. Now," He tried to study their surroundings, changing the topic. "We need to get out of here. I don't know about you but I'm not going to sit around and wait for them to kill us. We are already in this shit might as well fuck up their plans, give them a taste of their own medicine."

With that Touya smirked. "I like that kind of idea." They started talking on what they knew and started to formulate a plan.

XxXxXx

Sakura laid in her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She closed her eyes, trying to block all of her emotions. She was hurting. Her final strands of hope were shattered by the man she had given almost all her trust to. Her heart shattered at the thought that she had opened her heart to him and it seemed that he was doing the same to her. In an instant, everything changed and he was as cold to her as ever. A single tear fell from her eye as she realized that everything was a lie and told herself that she didn't deserve to be happy.

Soon, tears fell one after the other as she cried in silence, knowing this time, Shaoran's arms weren't going to be around her nor his hand would come up and wipe her tears away. She could taste the bitterness of her tears, reminding her of the bitterness that her life had become.

She would be leaving Japan really soon. She was going to be safe. But deep down she knew that she would never going to be safe, not while the men responsible for this was either dead or put away.

Sakura hated the predicament she was in. She only wanted to be left alone and achieve her dreams like a normal person. She wanted to be able to go to Europe with her brother to further her music studies. She only wanted to share her music to the world…to drown in her music…the only pure thing she could offer the world…to fool them into believing that the world is full of beauty and warmth…hoping in the end that she too believes it and not the darkness that was her life at the moment.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, she took out her mother's necklace from under her shirt. The star pendant within a circle of gold in a gold chain was something she would always take out when she needed to think or calm herself. It reminded her so much of her mother and her smile when she was alive.

Sakura grazed her finger on the surface. It made her smile. Her thoughts were brought back to reality when she heard a knock on her door. She didn't have any intention of getting up to answer. She wanted to be alone. When the knocks were persistent, she let out another sigh and opened it.

She wasn't surprised when she saw Yue but what made her a little taken aback was what he held in his hands. He held a violin case out to her. It looked like her violin but then she silently questioned how it was possible when she had left it back at the hotel at the night of her concert.

"I retrieved it. I thought that you might want to back." Yue said, as if reading Sakura's mind.

She gave a small smile and thanked him. She then excused herself, not really in the talking mood. Yue didn't seem to mind though. She closed the door and laid the case on the center, circular table. She opened the case and allowed her fingers over the familiar strings, slowly letting a genuine smile on her lips.

She knew she couldn't allow herself to keep resisting so she took out the violin and headed to a seat near the open window. She sat and allowed herself to take a comfortable playing stance. She took up the bow and started playing chords, not really thinking what she was playing, only allowing the music flow through her, working on instinct.

Music started filling the room, filling in the void that was there. It echoed through the walls of the house. It allows Sakura to drown into a state of temporary tranquil and safety that made her detach herself from the coldness around her.

XxXxXx

Shaoran stayed in a room nearby. He sat in front of an open laptop, trying to get some work done. His windows were open to let the breeze in. But no matter how he forced himself to concentrate, his thoughts would draw back to Sakura. Watching her go hurt him more than he was willing to admit. Hurting her felt worse than hurting himself.

When he heard the soft music of the violin, Shaoran's heart ached a little more. He could tell the tinge of sorrow that laced her music. He knew that he had a hand in adding to that pain. Shaoran stood up and walked over to an open window. A few doors down, he knew that Sakura was beside her open window. The few feet that separated them was almost excruciating. He wanted to reach over to her and comfort her. He wanted her to seek comfort from him. He wanted to be the one to help ease the pain she was suffering like he had for the past couple of days.

Shaoran reprimanded his heart and told it to steel itself. He had to remind himself forcefully that if he lost all sense of reality and responsibility, people are going to die...the first one being the person of his affections, Sakura.

Knowing it will only make things worse if he continued to listen to the music, he tore himself away from the window and willed himself to get back to his stoic self. He sat down and started to go over the things he had.

XxXxXx

When morning came for her to leave, Sakura dreaded getting up. Over the previous day, she kept rolling the thought of leaving inside her head over and over again. But no matter what she did or rationalized, she didn't really like the idea. She hadn't been able to sleep that well because of it. The only reason why she got some was due to exhaustion and nothing else.

Now that she was awake, something was off. It felt more wrong than ever. More than that, it felt that something was going to happen although she just couldn't put her finger on it.

Sakura forced herself to get up and get ready. She hadn't spoken in about two days. She refused to utter anything. She preferred to be alone and listen to music rather than interact with anyone. It wasn't a hard thing to do after years of not speaking.

Sakura freshened up and got dressed. After brushing her hair, she looked at herself at the mirror and gave an exasperated sigh. She told herself to ignore her gut instincts. She forced herself to believe that it was going to be alright. With that, she headed out of the room.

She met Shaoran down the hall as she made her way. She stopped only for a moment to acknowledge his presence with a small smile and bow before she walked past him, not making eye contact or saying anything.

He watched her walk away. "Sakura," He called out, not being able to resist anymore. He watched her stiffen a bit before turning to face him slightly. "You're in good hands. And...leaving doesn't always mean you are a coward. You are not stupid." He wanted to tell her that he had lied but he held his tongue.

Sakura only answered him with a small, sad smile. When she turned away again and refused to speak to him, Shaoran unconsciously clenched his fists. He didn't like seeing her like that, so closed and unreachable.

Shaoran's expression hardened when he saw Yue meet up with her. Yue turned to him and said, "Daidouji-san would like to see you in her office now."

Shaoran gave a nod and proceeded to meet Sonomi. It seemed the short encounter at the hallway was the closest to a goodbye he would get to give her.

XxXxXx

Sonomi was seated behind her desk, writing. She had already wished Sakura a safe trip and now she had matters to attend to. A knock came from the door. She called out for whoever it was too enter.

"You sent for me, Daidouji-san?" Came a deep, male voice.

"Yes," She answered, not looking up from what she was doing. "We have a few matters to discuss. Take a seat." She added while Shaoran walked over to a chair in front of the desk.

He waited for Sonomi to finish writing and start the conversation. "Detective Li, for what you have done for my niece, I cannot thank you enough."

"I'm simply doing my job, Ma'am."

"And yet you have fallen for her."

Shaoran said nothing. He wanted to deny the claim but he knew that he would be lying. He wanted to admit it but he knew that he would be betraying his ethical code.

His lack of an answer was enough for Sonomi. "It doesn't matter. You let her go. It only tells me that you don't let your emotions cloud your judgment. Although I was surprised you made her go."

"Before anything else, Sakura needs to be safe."

"Yes. She does. That girl has been through a lot already. She does not need this."

"With all do respect, why only now? It seems like you are sending her away more than the purpose you are leading on. You would have gone to really make sure that she was alright."

Sonomi smiled and leaned back on her chair. "You are observant, Li-san, but you are in no standing to question my motives."

"Yes, I am. With regards to Sakura's safety, I am."

"As what? A detective? A friend? A lover? You are not her family."

Shaoran clenched his fists. He tried to contain his anger. This conversation was turning into something more than what he had intended.

"It's alright, Shaoran. I was the one who advised Daidouji-san to make Sakura go." Came a voice from behind, a voice he knew so well, that made Shaoran freeze slightly with utter shock.

He quickly turned and his eyes widened a little when his thoughts were confirmed.

XxXxXx

Sakura sat, looking out and saw staring blankly at the airplane that would be taking off in a few minutes. She was so out of it that she hadn't noticed Yue walk up to her.

"Come on. You may board. Your great grandfather is about to arrive."

Sakura followed him without much resistance or saying anything.

Once she took a seat, she stared out the window while Yue sat in front of her. He was studying her. He couldn't help but wonder what it was about her that made people want to protect her...how she could make one of the most talented detectives there are, Li Shaoran, almost powerless to her charms.

Sakura unconsciously traced her fingers on her necklace. When she couldn't feel the familiar texture of her safety blanket, she immediately shot up from her seat and started looking for it. She wasn't going to leave Japan without it.

"What's the matter?" She heard Yue ask as she frantically searched for her necklace.

"My necklace. I can't leave without it. I was wearing it on the way here. I'm sure of it." She answered.

Yue had seen her treasure. He had seen her wearing it all the time, whether slightly hidden under her clothing or openly displayed. He stood up and started to help her locate it.

When their searching was proving to be fruitless, Sakura sprinted out of the plane to look for it where she sat waiting. Yue followed her, noting the car approaching the plane. He knew they had to make it fast. The plane was leaving.

Sakura looked everywhere and was starting to panic. She felt a firm yet gentle hand on her arm.

"The plane is about to leave. You need to board the plane."

"But-" Sakura started but wasn't able to finish as Yue started to drag her towards the plane.

"I'm sorry about this but you need to-"

Yue wasn't permitted to finish as the plane suddenly exploded.

(to be continued...)

The longest chapter yet hehe. Anyway, how was it? I tried to incorporate as much as I could in this chapter. Please send in what you think. Thanks.

Michiko


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Eriol?" Shaoran said as he stood and faced his best friend while he wheeled someone in the room. Shaoran's gaze fell on her.

"Shaoran, I'd like you to meet Daidouji Tomoyo."

"Daidouji Tomoyo?" Shaoran repeated and then realization struck him. "You had something to do with this." He said with certainty.

"Yes. Once I learned what had happened at Sakura's apartment, I made a few phone calls. I knew that I had to get Tomoyo out of there. It wasn't that hard."

"So you let people believe that she died to be able to protect her." Shaoran then turned towards Sonomi. "Did you know about this?"

"No I only learned of it the night of the cremation. Eriol had approached me and brought Tomoyo. I wouldn't have believed if I didn't see it with my own eyes."

Shaoran understood even before Sonomi finished explaining. He clenched his fists and hardened his face. "Sakura. Why then was it necessary to send her away?"

Eriol approached Shaoran and said, "You of all people should know why, Shaoran."

"I understand perfectly. But what I don't get is why she cannot know her best friend is alive. Do you have any idea of the guilt that she is carrying?" Shaoran's gaze was cold while Eriol's softened a bit.

"If I may," Tomoyo started, gathering the attention of both men. "I was the one, Li-san, who convinced Eriol-san to not let her know. I know Sakura well enough. I know that if she knew, she will not leave. Right now, she is in more danger than me."

Shaoran didn't answer. His face would not betray any emotion.

"Sakura is suffering more than ever and I truly wish she didn't have to go through this. But I would rather have her suffer emotional turmoil than die. She has a strong heart and I know she will overcome this in her own time."

The phone suddenly rang. Sonomi picked it up. They watched as the older woman's face visibly paled. With hand shaking, she returned it to the receiver and turned to all those present in the room. She wasn't sure how she'd be able to say it out loud.

"The plane...the plane just exploded..."

The room was suddenly filled with much dread and shock. No one moved or uttered anything for awhile.

XxXxXx

Slowly, Yue came into consciousness. For a moment, he wasn't sure what happened or where he was. He was pretty much disoriented. As he sat up and opened his eyes, Yue had to pause for a minute to get his bearing back. _Sakura._ He forced himself up as he started looking for the girl who was beside him before the explosion happened. There were so much debris everywhere that it was almost like a burning inferno.

It was hard to see with all the smoke and small fires. But eventually he spotted her and ran to her side. Without any hesitation, he felt for a pulse. He held an unconscious breath as he felt for it. Yue gave out a sigh of relief when he felt her pulse. It was strong, regular and very much present. She was unconscious but breathing at a steady pace. It was good enough for Yue. It meant that she was still very much alive just like him.

He thought about calling to her, getting her to wake but he quickly dismissed the idea. He knew that it was more important to get out of there and get to somewhere safe.

Without another glance around, Yue hooked his arms under her and carried her. He had to get her to safety. He had to get some help just to be sure that Sakura was really fine. He wasn't going to risk letting her die due to internal hemorrhage or something. He wasn't going to take a chance staying there. Even if he was still a little out of it, he knew that staying there and waiting to be found was out of the question. Someone desperately wanted this girl in his arms dead. That person knew that she would be leaving with her great grandfather in that specific plane and at that specific moment. It meant that someone was working inside. He now understood why Shaoran was having a hard time moving as well. _Someone _they trusted wasn't supposed to be trusted.

Where to go? Yue wasn't sure. All he knew was that they had to get out of there. Whoever did this wasn't going to stop unless he sees a body. He wasn't about to give them Sakura. Yue then saw a woman and an elderly man running towards them. His posture stiffened and turned defensive.

The woman noticed and raised her hands. She then said, "We mean you no harm. It's a good thing that we followed. Come on we have to get you two out of here."

Yue's eyes narrowed. He then replied in a cold voice, "Who are you? How do I know that you can be trusted?"

The young woman placed her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow. "Look. This is not the place or the time to talk about this. My name is Li Meiling. I'm Sakura's friend and Li Shaoran's cousin. This is Wei. Trust me. We can be trusted, more than you think." Now come on. I doubt that it will be long now before the authorities arrive."

Yue stilled and upon noticing Sakura started to whimper in his arms, his mind was set and he started to dash off in the direction they came. Meiling and Wei ran as fast as they could. They knew that Sakura needed help and fast. Hell, they both needed help. Wei and Meiling could tell that Yue was still disoriented and out of it. He may look fine but they had to be certain. They had just lived through an explosion. They could have died.

Once inside the car, Yue was at the back with Sakura while Meiling was at front and Wei was driving, Yue said, "You said you were following us. Why?"

"Simple. I wanted answers and the only way that I could think of getting the information was to find Sakura. Before you say anything else, Shaoran doesn't know about this. Wei and I are supposed to be in Hong Kong right now." Meiling answered, not looking back.

Yue smirked. He then looked at the still unconscious girl. "I'm guessing you are not planning on telling him."

"I was." She answered.

"What changed your mind?"

This time, Meiling turned around and met his gaze before looking at Sakura. "It's not hard to tell that my cousin fell for this girl. I don't blame him. I'd blame him more if he didn't. Sakura isn't the only one in danger here. From the little things we know, she isn't the only one they are after any more. Shaoran has become a target. He cannot afford to make a misjudgment now."

"What did you find out?"

"We headed back to the house after we've been at the airport. As Shaoran predicted, people came and ransacked the house, looking for some clues on where we've gone. Well, to cut the long story short, we waited for them to leave before we made our move."

Yue said nothing. Sakura started to stir and blinked her eyes a couple of times. "Yue?" She said in a cracked voice. He looked down at her. Relief flashed through his eyes for a second. Sakura then sat up, "What..."

"There was an explosion. We are lucky to have survived and have met up to some friends of yours." Yue said.

Sakura was slightly confused in what he was saying and what was actually happening.

"Hey, Sakura," Meiling said as Sakura turned to her in surprise. "It's good to know that you are still one of the living."

"Meiling…Wei-san… " Sakura said as she slowly sat up next to Yue. "But what...why...aren't you supposed to be in Hong Kong?" Sakura paused and leaned back, putting a hand on her forehead. "Ack…my head hurts. I think I maybe hallucinating all this…I think I'm dead…"

Meiling grinned. "No, you are very much alive and kicking. Well anyway, Yeah we are supposed to be there but Shaoran isn't the only one who is stubborn. Besides, did you really think that I'd run away knowing you two are in danger?"

Sakura gave a tired smile and rubbed her temples. She was really having a headache. She couldn't believe that even if she had only known Meiling for a couple of days, she'd treat her as if they'd known each other throughout their lives.

"You still haven't answered my question." Yue remarked rather seriously.

Meiling gave out a sigh before replying, "This thing...whatever it is...is bigger than what Shaoran might have thought. He is aware that he is working for one of the men involved in this shit but it seems that Sakura's case isn't the only one they are involved in. From the looks of it, they are backed up by either very influential people or very rich. We saw professionals, hired killers so to speak, turn the house upside down to get as much information about Shaoran as much as possible."

"Which means that he has worked with cases involving them and now they want him out to keep doing what they are." Yue said, understanding at wavelength.

Sakura visibly froze. She didn't need to be told about the gravity of the situation she was in.

"Exactly. You probably know this by now but by the looks of things, someone is giving information about us, especially about the whereabouts of Sakura and the actions of Shaoran to those who shouldn't know." Meiling added.

"Where are we going now?" Yue asked.

"There is a saying," Wei started. "The best place to hide is at plain sight."

"What does that have anything to do with this?" Yue replied.

"It means we are going to go to them. We will be infiltrating covertly, after we've brought Sakura to a safe place." Wei answered.

"No," Sakura suddenly said. "I'm going too. I don't know what I can do to help but you're not just going to leave me somewhere while I wait to see if you guys are coming back or not."

"Geez you did hit your head a little too much…you're just as stubborn as Shaoran." Meiling commented.

"Hey I'll take that as a comment any time. Besides, I have a feeling that there isn't exactly a place that we could consider safe now that we have all come to the conclusion that Shaoran is working with wolves in sheep's clothing."

"Let's talk about this later. Clearly you aren't thinking straight." Yue said, looking at Sakura, who glared back.

"Hey I resent that. I'm thinking fine, thank you. I just have a headache. You must be the one who isn't thinking straight if you are seriously considering I'm just going to hide in some corner and pretend to be helpless, while waiting to be saved. I don't think so. If you haven't noticed, following with this stupid idea of running away has gotten us into this." Sakura argued back, slightly ignoring her headache. It wasn't really working so after saying her piece, she closed her eyes.

XxXxXx

Eriol and Shaoran walked through the wreckage. Nothing could be read from their expressions. As Shaoran looked through the rubble to check for any evidence, he saw a shiny thing at a glance. Curious to what it was, he walked and squat to inspect the area more closely.

For a moment, hurt registered in his eyes when he realized that it was Sakura's necklace. It was among the rubble. He took it and held it in his hand.

Eriol walked over to him. He then said, "Reports are in. There were seven corpses recovered here. One elderly male, approximately 70-75 years of age. Two men between their 20s and 30s. One male, in mid-40s. Three females, around 20-25...and one female, approximately 18-23. Full autopsy reports won't be in for awhile."

Shaoran could only nod. His heart sank when he heard Eriol's last report. Eriol seemed to notice as he laid a hand on Shaoran's shoulder. "You really did love her, didn't you?"

Shaoran didn't reply as he placed the necklace around his neck.

"Shaoran-"

"Cool it, Eriol. Nothing is going to change what had already happened. We work now." He replied, steeling his voice.

Eriol didn't speak for a moment. He knew that pushing Shaoran with this matter wasn't going to do them any good.

"Have you considered that someone inside the close association of Daidouji-san is involved? No one should have known about this." Shaoran said with much seriousness and contempt in his voice.

When Eriol answered and Shaoran looked at him, Shaoran couldn't help but feel slightly confused. "Yes. I know." Eriol answered, pointing a gun directly at Shaoran.

"Eriol, what the fuck?" Shaoran replied as he was about to approach him but stopped when Eriol released the safety of the gun.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Eriol replied with much coldness and malice Shaoran had ever heard of him.

Shaoran clenched his fist, bringing no emotion to his face. "You intentionally made Sakura go, didn't you? It wasn't Daidouji Tomoyo or Daidouji Sonomi. It was you. The reason why they knew she'd be leaving today is you." He said it with certainty and yet Eriol didn't flinch.

"Why?"

Eriol didn't answer right away. His eyes were cold. "I advise you to stop talking. It won't do you any good." Eriol replied.

Shaoran gritted his teeth. He clenched his knuckles, eventually turning them white.

"I won't kill you. It seems that you are still needed for a few things." Eriol said as he ushered Shaoran out of there.

XxXxXx

Sakura looked at herself at the mirror. She could feel sore all over her body. She had a cut just above her right eyebrow, near her hairline. It wasn't big but it had bled pretty bad for awhile.

She unconsciously ran her fingers through her hair. There were some parts where the tips were torched with the fire from the explosion. She shuddered at the thought she was so close to death yet again. She wondered how much more she could take.

She told herself no more. She wasn't going to sit back and be protected anymore. She was going to go out there and finish it herself then maybe she could live her life the way she wanted to.

Sakura took a pair of scissors and was about to cut her hair when she heard a knock at the door. She lowered her hands and looked behind her. Meiling entered and closed the door.

"I was about to tell you something but it looks like I should ask what you are doing." Meiling said as she stood beside Sakura.

"I need to cut my hair. Will you help me?"

Meiling let out a sigh and asked for the scissors. Sakura handed it over. "How short do you want it?" Sakura took the scissors and made the first cut.

"Alright. I'm not an expert but you don't have to worry. Shaoran will like it."

Meiling noticed the sad smile Sakura gave her upon the mentioning of Shaoran's name.

"What's wrong?" Meiling couldn't help but ask.

"Nothing."

"Even I could tell it isn't nothing, Sakura. Hate to break it to you but you are a lousy liar."

Sakura smiled a little more. Her gaze met Meiling's at the mirror's reflection. "Shaoran told me the same thing."

Meiling laughed a little bit. "So, will you tell me what's wrong now? Maybe I should have contacted Shaoran by now."

"He'll have both our heads."

"You have a point there bur I doubt he will actually hurt a single hair on your head."

Sakura fought back a flinch but Meiling noticed. "Ok, what did my cousin do to hurt you?"

"It's not...it doesn't matter. It was my fault. I can only wish it ended differently."

"Ended? What's going on? What happened?"

"N-nothing," Sakura started, forcing a smile. "He did what he had to. I was the one who misconstrued his intentions. Like I said, it is my fault."

"Ok? I'm getting like you guys started to have a more 'complex' relationship. What? Did you guys finally start having a romantic relationship?" When Sakura didn't answer and only blushed, Meiling's eyes grew larger and squealed. "Oh my God! You guys...it's about time! Wait! What did he do? He hurt you? Oh I'm going to kill him!"

"Listen, it's supposed to be this way I guess. He's only had my safety in mind. He did everything so I'd live. There's nothing wrong with that."

"Yeah but it doesn't give him the right to push you away when you're the one who is actually saving him."

Sakura stiffened. She wasn't expecting that. She knew Shaoran's story. She wasn't sure if she should tell Meiling that he told her everything about him. Meiling noticed the inner conflict Sakura was having and judged it to be different so she smiled and said, "Sakura, Shaoran's had his heart closed for years. No matter how I've tried, I couldn't get him to open up. You, he's only known you for less than a month, and yet you've changed him more than either of you realize. He needs you as much as I can tell you need him."

Sakura could feel her throat tie in a knot. Her heart started to clench inside her chest. She fought back the tears. She was snapped out of her reverie when she heard Meiling ask, "Sakura, how exactly do you feel about Shaoran?"

Sakura could feel the blood rush to her cheeks. She closed her eyes and tried to control her blush. "He's...he's...Shaoran's all...I've ever wanted as a child. He's become someone I know I can trust with my everything without fearing him having to judge my past, present and future. He's this force that entered my heart making me feel like I could do anything...making me alive...I fear his power over me and yet I crave it. I..."

Meiling smirked. "Trust me, I know he feels the same way. Let's get this over with so you two can actually try and make it work. Oh and welcome to the family."

Sakura couldn't help but blush more. "That isn't funny, Meiling."

"Do you actually think he's going to let you go?" When Sakura didn't answer, Meiling smirked again and commented, "I didn't think so."

"You're impossible." Sakura commented forcing the blush away.

Meiling started laughing. "See? You're even starting to sound like him. He told me the exact same thing."

"I do not!" Sakura replied as she playfully hit Meiling. She started laughing along with her.

"Well, anyway, just keep smiling. It doesn't suit you to frown or be sad."

"You know what, that was the only thing he ever asked of me. Even if he said it in a joking manner, he still asked me to smile for him."

"What? No way!" Meiling exclaimed as she shrieked again and started jumping up and down. "Oh he's fallen for you hard."

"Meiling, let's not jump into conclusions."

"I'm not. It's already too obvious so why would I even assume?" Meiling replied as she continued cutting Sakura's hair.

"Ok, ok. Changing the subject, I think I should be the one."

"What do you mean?"

"I think that I should be the one to actually go there. I think that I can play it out more than if I let you guys go."

"One thing though," Meiling started. "You're not trained for anything form of combat. Unless you have a death wish, that is totally out of the question. That is total suicide, now if I let you go, Shaoran will indeed have my head."

"Actually, I think that that is the point, me not having any training. That will create this opportunity where they will let their guards down since they know that I won't be able to do anything. You guys can make your move then."

"I don't know," Meiling replied as she stepped back and looked at her work. She turned her towards the mirror, anxious to know what she thought about her new hair. "So? How do you like it?"

Sakura looked at herself at the mirror. She checked her sides and smiled. "I think it's great. Thanks, Meiling. It's actually been awhile since I had my hair this short."

"It kinda suits you." Meiling said.

Sakura laughed a little bit. "Yeah well after my parents died, I never wanted to have it this short again."

"Sorry. I didn't know."

Sakura smiled again. She turned to Meiling and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Meiling, don't worry about it. I had my reasons for keeping it long. Now, I need it short. I doubt people will recognize me right away with my hair this short." Her hair was now shoulder length, cut in layers.

Meiling smirked and they left the bathroom to join the others outside.

XxXxXx

The door opened and a man got inside bringing them food. Touya and Yamazaki didn't move until the man left.

"We have to make a move or we'll never get out." Touya said.

Yamazaki smirked and replied, "My thoughts exactly."

"So?" Touya started. "Any ideas?"

XxXxXx

Chiharu sat in front of the computer decoding the last of the video clips. She was getting bored, not to mention frustrated with how long it was taking. She decided to get up and walk over the window of the motel she was staying at.

She looked outside at nothing in particular. She wondered what was happening. She hadn't heard from either Shaoran or Sakura in awhile.

She then heard her laptop signal that it had finished its processing. She walked back towards the table leisurely and bent down to check. Her eyes grew wide with what she saw. She froze in her place.

XxXxXx

"I'm in." Yue said over his communicator.

"Copy that." Meiling said as she, Sakura and Wei watched the monitors.

Meiling turned to Sakura with a weary look. "Are you sure you are up for this? Sorry but I really don't see you as the espionage type."

"I know…let's just get this thing over with." Sakura replied. She was shaking inside but there was no way that she would let Meiling and the others know that.

Sakura walked into the police station. She felt a huge lump in her throat. _Thump. Thump. Thump. _Her heart was beating fast. She knew that there was a big chance that she wasn't going to get out of this alive. They wanted her dead. She was offering herself as a sort of sacrifice. Meiling was right. This was like suicide. But she told herself to be strong. She told herself that this is what she needed to do. She needed to find her brother and make sure that he was alive. He didn't need to suffer…especially because of her.

She was basically leaving caution behind. She knew that Yue, Meiling and Wei would be watching over her. Yue would be shadowing her while Meiling and Wei did the other necessary things. But Sakura knew that she was basically alone. She had no one to depend on now…only herself.

Sakura walked to the reception area. Immediately, the man there recognized her. She didn't need to say anything as she was ushered inside. She was led into a big office. She knew whom it belonged to. As she waited there, she couldn't help but brush her hands on her arms to try and lessen the anxiety that she felt. She looked around the room self-consciously.

She allowed her mind to drift to the first time she stepped in that building when this whole incident started. A smile crept its way up her lips as she remembered Shaoran. She wondered where he was at that very moment. She wondered if he could spare a moment like she was to think of her. She wondered if he would ever think of her now. Beyond anything else, Sakura wished that it was Shaoran's arms around her right at that moment, silently telling her that it was going to be fine and that she was safe, instead of her arms.

Her expression grew sullen again simply by thinking of him. Her heart seemed to ache. _Shaoran. _Sakura closed her eyes and allowed her mind to remember his face, his touch, his kiss. She unconsciously clenched her teeth tight to stop herself from growing too emotional. Something told her that there was something wrong…that there was something out of place. She reprimanded herself for being too pessimistic but she couldn't shake off the feeling. She reasoned that maybe everything was slowly eating her up inside.

Sakura forced a calming breath. It seemed to work a little. She was too caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice that the door behind her opened and a man in uniform entered, making his way over to her. Upon reaching her, the man placed a hand on her shoulder making her jump.

XxXxXx

The door opened. The two men inside the room looked up and saw two men dragging an unconscious man towards them, while another had a gun ready just in case something happened. No words were spoken as the two original occupants of the room watched in suspended animation as the unconscious man was dropped like a piece of meat on the floor and the men left without a word or a glance back.

Yamazaki's eyes grew wide as realization dawned in. He quickly got up and headed towards the unconscious man. Touya didn't know how to react at first. He noticed that Yamazaki recognized the man.

"Oi! Oi!" Yamazaki said as he roughly tried to wake the man. "Oi! Shaoran wake up!" He kept on until Shaoran started to stir slowly.

Shaoran tried to open his eyes but quickly shut it again as a splitting headache rushed through him. He groaned, slowly sitting up. He held his nape and tried to massage the area. The pain almost made it impossible to reorient him to reality.

"Takashi?" Shaoran asked, slowly looking around to adjust himself to his new surroundings.

"Yo!" Yamazaki replied and grinned. "I know you have a hard head but it's not a good idea to hit it when you're frustrated only to get dragged in here." Shaoran shot him a glare. Yamazaki held his hands up in surrender and said, "Ok, ok. I take it back. You're not a moron. You're just an idiot. Why the hell did you let yourself get caught only to get dragged down here?"

Shaoran's glare didn't light up as he got up and turned a little. "Because I was betrayed." He replied coldly.

With that, Yamazaki's words froze in his mouth. _Betrayed? _Right. He was betrayed by the very people he worked for. So he found out after all.

Shaoran then noticed the presence of another man. He turned to him as the man met his gaze and stood up. Touya had kept silent the entire time so Shaoran didn't notice him right away. He immediately knew that this was Sakura's brother. He knew that this man would kill when he learns of his sister. Shaoran knew just how protective Touya was of his younger sister based on what Yukito had implicated during countless conversations and from Sakura herself.

Shaoran noticed Touya's eyes narrowed. Touya stared back at Shaoran, not saying anything at first.

As if sensing the rising tension in the room, Yamazaki said, "Kinomoto-san, this is Li Shaoran." He then turned towards Shaoran, not really understanding the silent standoff the two men were having. "Shaoran, this is Kinomoto Touya, Sakura's-"

"Brother. I know." Shaoran cut off, not taking his eyes off Touya. "It's good to see you alive. We have been looking for you since you were taken at the airport, especially Sakura."

"Glad to hear that. But if you are here, where is she? Where is my sister?"

Shaoran clenched his jaw together as well as his fists. Was he really going to tell this man the truth? Even he was having trouble accepting it. He refused to believe that he lost her. He refused to believe that he was never going to see her again. "We got separated." It was the only thing he could truthfully answer.

Touya's eyes narrowed again. "Oh? Then why do you have her necklace? Sakura never takes it off. Where is she, Li? Did you fail to protect her?" He said bitterly, anger was boiling in his veins.

"Ask your aunt. She was the one who made her leave. She was the one who had her relieved from me." Shaoran replied just as bitterly. He knew better than to answer but something in him made him answer the man in front of him. He didn't want to be told that he failed to protect Sakura. He didn't want to be told that she was gone because of him. He blamed himself as it was he didn't need her brother rubbing it in, not when they were in a situation where they could lose their lives in an instant. There was more to his duty as a detective of this case than concerns of Sakura. Even if she took up more of his responsibility because of his feelings, there were other factors and other people involved.

"Aunt? What does Aunt Sonomi have anything to do with this?" Touya spat out.

"It is an on-going investigation. I am not at liberty to reveal everything."

"Bull shit! This is my family we are talking about, especially my sister. Where the hell is she, Li? She better be safe."

Shaoran's patience was wearing in. On the verge of hitting each other, Yamazaki stepped in between the two men and quickly said, "Hold up, hold up. As much as it's fun watching you two, might I remind you that we are all in deep shit. If you two can chill for a bit, we might actually get out of here and head to some place wider so you two can fight it off as bloody hell as you want."

"Kinomoto-san, Shaoran's not that bad. I mean, he's actually a changed man ever since he met your sister." Yamazaki kept babbling on, making the other man's eyes a little bit darker. "I've never seen him care for another female as much as he does her."

Touya looked again at Shaoran, who remained stoic. He wanted to kill Yamazaki at that moment. He wanted him to shut up. "So? I'm right. You have a little 'fling' with my sister. Touch her and you are dead."

Shaoran couldn't help but smirk. "Says one who doesn't want anything bad to happen to her while you happen to leave her here alone." Touya advanced and was about to punch Shaoran but was stopped by Yamazaki. "I would never hurt her, not because I'm afraid of you. And if you must know, she's stronger than you give her credit for. While you protect her and keep her in this glass bubble all these years, her only outlet was music. Along the way she lost her voice. She's not this porcelain doll that easily breaks."

"She's my sister, Li. You better watch what you say."

"She may be your sister but you never really got to see the scared, intelligent, strong person she really is. I may have only known her for a short time but I've seen the real her. Because of that, I would do everything I can to protect that, even if it to protect her from you. For the record, she has a very sweet voice…something she had just recently started using."

Shaoran watched Touya stiffen as the gravity of his words sank in. Also, a part of him wanted to reprimand himself for not being able to control his words and actions better.

"You're lying. Sakura hasn't spoken a word for years since-"

"Since you found her after your parents were murdered at the tree house you and your father built. I know. I don't care if you believe me or not but she's not afraid to speak in her voice now. And as much as I would like to argue with you, Takashi is right. We have to get out of here."

"There is something you aren't telling me."

Shaoran took a deep breath. He knew that the next thing he was going to say would be the most difficult thing he would be saying. It was his duty and he knew that Touya wasn't going to let this issue go.

"Daidouji-san made Sakura leave with your great grandfather. They were going to go overseas. The day she left, I was at Daidouji-san's office when she got a call reporting that the plane exploded on the air field. I went there to shift through what was left. By the time I got there, they had already transported the bodies. Initial reports confirm that all occupants of the plane had died."

After a moment of tense silence, Touya said in a dry voice, his heart seemed crushed, "My sister is not dead. Sakura is a survivor I refuse to believe she is dead."

"Neither do I. That is why we have to get out of here alive." Shaoran replied.

XxXxXx

"Eriol," A female voice drifted off to his ear as he closed the door and made his way towards a plush chair and settled down. "It's about time you got back." She added.

"Ruby," He acknowledged to girl.

"Judging by your lack of injuries, apprehending Li went well." A man commented.

Eriol didn't let any expression reach his face as he leaned back on his chair and closed his eyes. He then decided to answer, "When one is faced with the barrel of a gun, even the most skilled fighters succumb to the yielder's power." He then opened one eye and eyed the man, "Any news, Stephan? After the disaster at the airport when you took Kinomoto Touya, I assume you didn't have any more screw ups."

The blond man with blue eyes smirked and placed his hands behind his head before he leaned back. "If you must know a new development has come up. As a matter of fact, our princess just walked into the police department,"

Eriol opened his eyes and raised an eyebrow. Stephan smirked again. "Apparently our little princess didn't die during the explosion. She has minor bruises but alive and kicking. She walked in Sagato's office not too long ago."

It was Eriol's turn to smirk. He leaned back, satisfied with the latest development. "Ah so Kinomoto Sakura is alive...interesting."

XxXxXx

"I'm sorry to have scared you, Kinomoto-san. I'm Chief Sagato. What can I do for you?" The man said as he ushered Sakura to a seat.

Sakura followed, trying to stop herself from shaking. Fear was running through her veins. She was scared. It was like the fear she had when she was hiding in that stall with Tomoyo, only magnified. She chose to play the part of mute again. She knew that if he learned she could talk, it would ensure her death sentence sooner.

The man went around his desk and took out a paper. He placed it in front of Sakura and said, "It's ok to be frightened. At least you are still alive. You are safe here." He then placed a pen in front of her.

"Now, why don't you tell me everything that has happened?"

The look he gave her sent more chills down her spine. She took the pen, cursing herself for letting them shake. She didn't know how much he knew. Her mind was scrambling for what to write. She was spared when a knock came to the door.

Sagoto stood and walked over. Sakura was too afraid to look. She was starting to regret her decision. She told herself that she should have listened to Meiling and Wei. But then again, she was doing this for her brother. She had to know that he was alive, safe.

After what seemed like forever, Sagato walked back and touched her shoulder. She flinched. She then heard him say, "You will go with these officers here. They will take you to a safe place. I assure you, you will be safe." His grip on her shoulder hardened. Sakura flinched again as she stood.

She turned and saw Yue and another man. She didn't let her gaze meet any of theirs. This was it. She had to be careful now. She can't allow them to know that Yue was her body guard. She walked out the door, following an unknown course.

XxXxXx

Chiharu sat in front of her laptop. She had finished decoding the entire video. She had watched its contents, leaving her in a state of shock. She felt overwhelmed, disturbed beyond anything she had encountered before.

Just thinking of the gravity of the situation she found herself having a major headache coming on. She hasn't heard from Shaoran and Sakura, the worrying contributed to her headache.

Her thoughts then drifted off to Yamazaki. She felt her heart tighten as she struggled to push down her worry. She knew that he was still alive. She could feel it. But a large part of her wanted physical proof of it. She doesn't want to think about anything else aside from the fact that he will be coming home to her soon.

Chiharu's thoughts were halted immediately when she heard someone pounding at her door. Her heart rate doubled within seconds. She froze in her place. Her brain wasn't working. Her body didn't know where to go or what she should be doing.

"Chiharu, open up. It's me, Yukito."

Without another word, Chiharu found herself running to the door and immediately undoing the locks. Once Yukito was inside, a feeling of relief swept her entire being but was quickly erased when she saw Yukito's expression when he looked at her.

"Yukito-san, wh-"

"You're in danger here. We both are. I need to get you out of here." Yukito said.

"Wait! What about Shaoran? Sakura?" She watched as Yukito's usually calm expression turn hard.

"Shaoran's been captured and Sakura is..." Yukito clenched his teeth and didn't let the sentence finish. "I'm sure by now you've seen what's on that video. You know how dangerous this situation is. We better go. Get your stuff. We're leaving."

Chiharu wanted answers but somehow she could feel the tension that Yukito was giving off. She could feel the sense of dread increase by the second. Without even her knowing, her body started moving to gather up all her things.

Yukito was helping, making sure that there were no traces left. Within the next minute, they were flying out the door. Chiharu dumped her stuff in the back seat while she rushed to the passenger side and strapped herself using the seat belt. Yukito said nothing but quickly stepped on the accelerator the moment Chiharu had secured her seatbelt. They couldn't stay in one place too long. Yukito knew that the hard way. He knew that they were dangerous men following him. He knew that it wouldn't be long before they got to Chiharu as well.

"Listen," Yukito started. "What you have in your hands is very dangerous knowledge and the men behind this whole thing will not hesitate to have you killed as well. There isn't a safe place anymore. We have to think of something to help end this. If we don't, Shaoran, your boy friend and the others will definitely lose their lives."

"I know. But right now my mind is not coming up with a plan."

"I understand. Don't worry about it. Let's just get out of the open and then we will think about something before we start moving again."

XxXxXx

Sakura allowed herself to be led. She had no idea where they were taking her. She sat at the back seat, trying her hardest to not let her feat register in her face. Second thoughts were running through her head. She wasn't sure if she made the right choice. As the minutes passed, the more she was regretting the decision of coming. She reprimanded herself inwardly. This was the only way she was going to have to make sure that Yue and the others will be able to have a possible link to her brother, to make sure that he was alive and safe. She knew that she had to play with fire even with the possibility of getting burnt. She needed to face her attacker head on just like she had been telling Shaoran. She wasn't going to run away anymore.

Yue sat at the passenger's seat while another officer sat at the driver's seat, driving to who knows where, He seemed to have an order from Sagato. Since they left the office, the officer seemed to know where to go even without talking to anyone. Judging by their direction, Yue noted that they were headed to the tourist district downtown. He wasn't sure why they were being brought there but he had this strong suspicion that he wasn't going to like it. From the moment he saw Chief Sagato, he already had a feeling that he wouldn't like him.

Even before Yue took on the responsibility of Sakura's protector, relieving Shaoran, the moment Sonomi briefed him of Sakura's situation when she found out she was alive, Yue already made steps in learning more about the people involved, including Shaoran and the force he was serving. He had always been known to be thorough. Upon learning what he did with regards to Sakura's case, he could only smirk at the challenge that it brought. There were so much twists and turns that even he had a hard time knowing who he could trust. Even at that moment, he still didn't know who to trust. The police were definitely out of the question. Even the officer at his side wasn't worthy to be trusted. In his mind, if the head is corrupt, who knows who among his subjects are clean. It would be a miracle to discover those truly trustworthy.

That would truly be a rare find…although he would have to admit that with the advent of things, Yue will definitely trust Li Shaoran. In everything that has happened, even if he fell in love with Sakura, Shaoran had proved himself honest and trustworthy. By some twist of fate, he found himself backed by Shaoran's family. With that thought in mind, from the corner of his eye, Yue looked at Sakura. She was currently flustered from what he could tell but still she held her own. He couldn't help but admire her courage for that. It seemed that it was that silent charm that she possessed that made everyone who knew her be protective of her.

XxXxXx

Sagato was standing in front of his office window, overlooking most of the city he had vowed to protect. This was everything he had ever wanted growing up. But he wanted more. He wanted power. He wanted wealth. He had already amassed a lot of power and wealth through the years but still he wanted more. His thirst couldn't seem to be quenched. He was a man in his early thirties and had been serving for 13 years.

He entered the force when he was 20 years old, free out of college. But through the years serving, he knew that he wanted more. Through his service, he had seen things that he thought would never happen. He had discovered things that made him lose respect for the system. He discovered that the system was infested with much corruption and insolence that he vowed that he would destroy that. He would destroy the very system that existed with his own hands and create a new one. But as the years passed and he had met Yu Fa Lei, his ambition grew and so did his thirst for the unattainable.

With Yu Fa Lei's help, he was able to become the youngest chief at the age of 28. And so it paved the way of the start of the 'disinfection' of the system with him as the head. In return for Yu Fe Lei's help, Sagato entered into a partnership with him, protecting the leader of the deadliest crime syndicate in all of Asia.

A buzz sounded and a voice came through the intercom, "Excuse me, Chief, but Mr. Yu is here and requests to see you."

Sagato walked over to the intercom and said, "Send him in, Mitsuki, and call for Hiiragizawa."

"Yes, Sir."

After a few minutes, Yu Fa Lei walked into the office. "Ah, Fa Lei, what brings you here?" Sagato said, motioning the man who had arrived into a seat, while his three companions took their respective places around the office. Sagato then went to prepare a glass of red wine for himself and his visitor.

"I was told that you have finally got our promising young violinist in your hands, Sagato. It took you long enough." Fa Lei said as he took at glass of wine.

"Yes," Sagato said as he sat in his chair. "She walked into the building this morning seeking for some sort of protection."

"So the pressure has finally gotten to her. Now I believe that it is my turn to fix this problem." Fa Lei commented.

Sagato only smirked as Fa Lei motioned to the three men. The men understood the unspoken command and quietly left the room.

"You know I had my men do some background check on Kinomoto Sakura and Kinomoto Touya." Yu Fa Lei started when they were alone. "It seems they are the children of the man you had fixed years back."

Fe Lei took a deep breath of his cigar and puffed out, features remaining bored.

"Ah, you mean Kinomoto Fujitaka." Sagato answered. He paused as he leaned back on the chair. "Yes. I remember that snoopy worthless piece of shit. All he and his team cared about is the _history _of the artifacts. Too bad they had to find more than they bargained for."

Fa Lei then looked pointedly at Sagato. "It was _your _idea to put all those drugs in the artifacts. You almost cost me a few hundred million because of your mistake."

"Ah," Sagato replied cockily. He took a huge swig of his wine before continuing. "But it was _me _who caught them before they went public and told you about it so you can have them eliminated. Not to mention, we both earned a little extra because of that stint."

Fa Lei smirked. He continued smoking and quickly emptied his glass. Sagato took it to refill it before he said, "Another thing," Fa Lei looked at Sagato. "That officer that will be staying with the girl isn't one of mine. He is one of Sonomi Daidouji's hired men. Do with him as you wish."

XxXxXx

Meiling felt herself go rigid. _Oh shit! _She cursed under breath. She had been listening in the moment Sakura had gone into the building. She continued listening even after Sakura was escorted out. From the small device Sakura had discretely stuck under the chair she sat at, Meiling heard everything that had been talked about inside the office.

"Wei," She called to the old man as she hastily removed her ear phones and got up from the chair she was sitting at. Wei came into the room bringing a tray of tea. He looked at the young woman inquiringly as she was already putting on her jacket. "Sakura and Yue are in trouble. They know that Yue isn't one of them."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to try and find them."

The old man let out an exasperated breath. "I don't think that is wise. You have no idea where they are. Besides, my dear, you are not trained for this. I may have trained you and Master Shaoran in martial arts but still, this is very dangerous. You cannot go running out without any plan or backup."

Meiling seemed to stop and think about Wei was telling her. He was right but she just couldn't sit there. Sure Yue had setup the audio surveillance device but they were basically defenseless.

"What do you suggest we do?" Meiling asked, somewhat defeated. She knew that Wei was right and going out there blindly wasn't going to help anyone.

Just as Wei was about to speak, his phone rang.

XxXxXx

Sakura woke up and noticed that she was lying on a bed. She hadn't even noticed that she had fallen asleep. She allowed her eyes to adjust to her surroundings. It seemed she was brought to a rather well furnished room. She wondered where she was…if she was in a mansion or house of some sort or some building or hotel.

She was so absorbed with her thoughts leaving Chief Sagato's office that she failed to realize or take note on where they were being driven to. Now that she thought about it, she glanced around the room and confirmed that she was alone there. She wondered where Yue was.

She quickly scooted to the edge of the bed and got off. She made her way to the window, which had very heavy curtains drawn. She moved them aside and came face to face with a very wide glass window. From the height, Sakura figured that she was at least more than 15 stories above the ground. She could see most of Tokyo.

At that moment, she knew that she was in some sort of hotel. She had stayed there before. It was one of those hotels that tourists frequented. Judging by the surrounding buildings and the crowd that she saw on the streets and sidewalks, she knew without a shadow of doubt where she was.

As she observed beyond the window, the door behind her slowly opened. A man entered and slowly crept up behind her, like a predator stalking its prey. As Sakura was about to turn, the man grabbed her from behind and placed a hand over her mouth, holding on to her tight.

Sakura's eyes widened in fear and started squirming out of the man's grip. But the man was strong and his grip only got stronger as Sakura continued to fight him.

"You escaped from me once, Blossom, but you won't again." The man whispered in her ear as raw panic and fear ran through her entire being. She looked up and her fear grew as she realized that the man who was holding her now was the same spiky haired man who had attacked her that time at the Asturias as this entire thing started.

The man couldn't help but smirked as he saw Sakura's reaction. He loved the fear that he was through her eyes.

Sakura knew that this time, she really wasn't going to survive. _"Help me…Shaoran…"_

XxXxXx

As the three men waited for at least something to happen or someone to come to the other side of the door, Shaoran suddenly felt something grip his heart. He could feel something wrong as it continued to tug at his heart. Unconsciously, his hand gripped the pendant on Sakura's necklace. _Sakura…_was all he thought about. His resolve to get out of there only intensified. He was pissed that he couldn't do anything at the moment but wait.

(to be continued…)

Ok, this is where the old version ended, but still I had added and revised a few details leading to this point. Please do send in what you think. Thanks.

Michiko


	9. Chapter 9

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

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**C2S: **Team Sakura Rules!; Xiao Lang and Ying Fa 4Eva!

**To all those unnamed, thank you so much for supporting this humble story of mine. I know that there were a lot of ups and downs and a lot of disappointments but thanks for sticking around and reading. I wish you could have sent in a review or added an alert or added to favorite story so that I could thank you guys properly. **

**Now, let me present to you the last chapter of Synergy. **

**Michiko**

Chapter 9

**10:15 AM**

Sakura struggled as raw fear started coursing through her veins. She could feel panic start to set in. When the door suddenly burst open and she saw Yue with a gun in his hand aimed at where they were, it was like hope started to return to her.

"Yue!" She called out. She trusted him to get her out of there. Shaoran did tell her the last time they saw each other that she was in good hands.

But the next blinking moment brought this feeling of dread deep within her, penetrating every inch of her being, as her eyes widened with what was unfolding. She could feel as if this pit of darkness was beginning to engulf her from the indide.

Yue's attention was suddenly divided when he heard a very distinct click of a gun next to his ear. He took a side glance and confirmed that a gun was indeed pointed at him.

"Drop it." The man with blond hair and blue eyes said in a British-Japanese heavy accent.

Yue didn't have a choice but to lower his weapon and raise his hands in defeat. The man then grabbed his gun from him. Yue didn't even notice the man holding Sakura had drag her to where he was standing.

"Blade, I know you want to have fun but we have our orders. We are to bring them to Yu-san right away." The blond man said quite blatantly as he addressed the other man.

Blade snorted and replied, "I know. But one of these days, I will be collecting from you and with interest for all the fun that you suck out with that shitty mouth of yours."

"I'd like to see you try." The blond man challenged.

Blade didn't hesitate to take up the challenge. He produced a pocket knife and was about to stab the blond man only to be thwarted by the said man. The blond man only smirked as he continued to engage Blade into their fight.

Yue saw the opportunity and grabbed Sakura and headed towards the door only to be stopped when he saw a woman holding a knife casually standing by the door. Yue knew that this woman was dangerous too, more than what met the eye. He did the next best thing. He grabbed Sakura and put her behind him, putting himself between the woman, the other men and himself.

"That's enough, Stephen, Blade." The woman said. She then straightened out and walked a few steps into the room. "I knew that I couldn't leave you boys alone without biting each other's heads off. Come on. Yu-san is waiting."

"You just had to ruin it, Ruby, didn't you? Alright. Alright. Let's get going before Blade here soils himself trying to stop his urges." Stephen said as he took steps towards Yue and Sakura and pushed them forward, while Blade's eyes narrowed significantly.

Everyone in the room could tell that a very powerful, murderous aura was coming off from Blade. They just chose to ignore it and exit the room.

XxXxXx

**10:17 AM**

After calm and shock wore off, reality set it and it set in really hard. "Yukito-san," Chiharu started. Her voice couldn't hide the fear and the panic she was feeling. "We have to find Sakura and Shaoran. I mean," She wasn't even looking at Yukito anymore. She was gesturing a lot with her hands, a mannerism she had when she was getting anxious, "This is…hell, I don't even know how to describe this! Saying that it is dangerous is a gross understatement!"

"I know. Calm down. It's next to impossible, I know, but we can't afford to lose our heads now." Yukito answered as he would take a glance at the rearview mirror every now and then.

"Then where are we going and what are we going to do?"

Yukito took out his cell phone and tossed it to Chiharu. "Here," Without looking at her, he kept his eyes on the road and accelerated a bit. "Look for Li Meiling's number and get her on the line now. Like I told you, I was told that Shaoran was captured and Sakura is also with them. I don't know the whole story but I think those two facts are enough to get us moving."

Without another word, Chiharu's fingers started scrolling through Yukito's phonebook. Once she found her number, she didn't hesitate to press the call button. After a few rings, a female's voice came over the other line.

"Hello?" Meiling said.

"Hello? Is this Li Meiling?" Chiharu asked.

"Yes. Listen I don't have time right now-"

"Li-san, with all do respect, shut up and listen."

Meiling was flabbergasted at the other end. She could feel her temper rising but before she could say anything Chiharu spoke again, "I'm Chiharu, a friend of your cousin Shaoran and Kinomoto Sakura. I'm with Tsukishiro Yukito at the moment and we have vital information that may mean life and death to those two. I'm passing the phone over to Yukito-san."

Before Meiling could get a say, she heard Yukito come on the line. "Hey, Meiling? I'm not sure if you remember me but I'm Detective Tsukishiro Yukito."

"Yes, I remember you, Tsukishiro-san."

"Listen, Chiharu and I are on our way back to Tomoeda. I was told that Shaoran and Sakura are in trouble. I need your help in getting them out. You are here in Japan at the moment, right?"

"Yes. Where did you hear that? Can you be trusted?"

"I know it's hard to trust but-" Before Yukito could finish what he was saying he and Chiharu instinctively ducked when the glass at the rear of the car shattered and a gunshot resounded loudly.

"Shit!" Yukito cursed as he simultaneously threw the phone back to Chiharu and swerved trying to dodge bullets coming their way. "Make sure your seatbelt is secured and put the phone on speaker."

Chiharu did as she was told.

"Meiling, you just got to trust me. We are all in this together. Like I said, we need your help. Chiharu, get down!" Yukito said as bullets kept on coming their way. He took out his gun and carefully times him aim, shot and swerve.

From the other end, Meiling could only stay on the line and listen as things continued to unfold at Yukito and Chiharu's end.

"Stay on the line, Meiling. I'm trying to shake these bastards. Just one second!" Yukito continued to aim, shoot and drive.

Yukito's brain started to plan at a wavelength. Then he got an idea and side-glanced Chiharu.

"Chiharu, I need you to access your laptop and find us a way out of here."

Chiharu gave a nod as she took out her laptop. "Give me a moment. Standby. I'm going live in 3…2…1. I'm in!"

"Is there anything I could do to help?" Came Meiling's voice.

"Li-san, do you have an open computer or laptop right now?"

"Yes, why?"

"Can you access the IP address and give it to me? I'm going to access it and going to open a live feed on a GPS program. I need you to help direct Yukito-san. Someone is trying to hack into my system. I can't combat it and direct at the same time."

"Give me a sec…here, I'm sending the IP ad now."

"Got it. You're going live in 5…4…3…2…1."

"I'm in. I have you in my monitor. You can take a left two corners down. Three cars are in pursuit behind you. One is intersecting with you in 30 seconds from the left, in the next intersection." Meiling said.

"Ok. I'm pulling out of this conversation. I'm reinforcing the firewalls and keeping your IP secure, Li-san." Chiharu answered as she started to immerse herself in her work. Yamazaki didn't teach her for nothing. She was as talented as Yamazaki.

"Direct me, Meiling-san. Copy the previous report. I have visual. Chiharu, hold on." Yukito said as he pressed the accelerator harder.

As Yukito sped up, so did the car to his left and those at his back. He floored the accelerator to its maximum, narrowly missing the car that he was in head on collision with. It crashed with those pursuing them from the back.

"Talk about defensive driving…" Chiharu commented.

"You're clear. I'm not sure for how long. I'm sending a course that will make sure that you guys get out of there ASAP and will lead you to where Wei and I are to your GPS. You should start seeing it now." Meiling warned.

Yukito glanced at his phone and saw the program registering. "Copy that, Meiling-san. Please remain on the line." He then glanced at Chiharu, who was still concentrating hard. "How are you doing, Chiharu?"

Chiharu frowned slightly. She didn't seem to register the question but then answered, "I'm cool. I finally have leverage. I think this is how they figured about Takashi." She then gave this mischievous smile. "If I…yes! I'm going to give those bastards a dose of their own medicine. Oh I'm so going to have fun making them squirm."

"Uh remind me never to cross you in the future." Meiling teased from the other end. Her laughter could be heard in the background.

Yukito couldn't help but smirk. "Ditto." He then glanced at Chiharu again and said, "Maybe you can also trace where they are."

"Gotcha. I'm hacking into their systems and re-arranging their defense systems." Chiharu answered as her fingers flew over the keyboard.

XxXxXx

**10:27 AM**

Sakura and Yue were brought into a room. It was a lavish room. Extravagantly furnished, the room spoke of high quality and high-end occupants. But even with the invitingly, rich-appearance the room had, Sakura felt nothing but dread suffocating her being. She couldn't help but cling on to Yue. She hadn't even noticed that she her hand had started to cling to the back of his shirt as she stepped closer to him.

Yue glanced back at her from his peripheral vision. He could tell that she was extremely uncomfortable and fearful of where they were, with good reason too. Anybody in her position would be too. He had known that this was going to happen even before he took on Sakura's case. Seeing Sagato there, his suspicions were confirmed about that man being dangerous and involved. In his opinion, Sagato was as dirty as they could get. It disgusted him to the very core.

Sakura scanned the room they entered. He saw that there were quite a number of occupants. She had expected Sagato to be there but then she saw Eriol. He wasn't bound or even being held captive. Her blood ran cold when she realized that he wasn't on her side. She felt the pang of betrayal run through her veins. It seemed to intensify when she realized that Eriol's gaze was on her. Her fists tightened their grip, something Yue felt even through his shirt.

Based on Sakura's reaction to the man with glasses and blue eyes, Yue didn't need to think to realize that the man she was looking at and who had his gaze on her was Shaoran's partner, Detective Eriol Hiiragizawa. He knew that Sakura was wondering why he was there but when her grip tightened, he knew that she knew that he was one of them. He also didn't need to be told who was betrayer. He could see it right with his very eyes. He had seen Eriol on the Daidouji estate the night of the cremation. He had heard him introduce himself to Sonomi as Shaoran's partner and he was the one who took care of Tomoyo.

Eriol had talked with Sonomi behind closed doors. Whatever they talked about, Yue could only guess. But without a shadow of a doubt, he knew that Eriol was connected to how that bomb was planted on that specific plane and on that specific time. He knew that Eriol was the one who leaked the information of Sakura being flown to safety.

"It's good of you two to join us." A man's voice drifted off towards them. Both Sakura and Yue followed the origin of the voice. Yue knew that man. He had heard about him for years. His name had popped out for a number of cases he had seen and heard of but somehow every single one of those cases disappeared as if it never happened.

"My name is Yu Fa Lei. It's a pleasure finally meeting you, Kinomoto Sakura. Your talents is, how should I say this, other worldly, just like your mother." He said.

Yue could feel Sakura stiffen behind him. He could guess what was going through her head right this very moment.

At the mention of her mother's talent, Sakura felt every muscle she had in her body grow rigid. _He knows my mother? _Her inner self screamed incredulously. She was in too much of a shock to notice that he was approached her and that Yue was tried to shield her from him. She then found herself violently ripped from Yue while Yu Fa Lei held her chin towards him so that he could closely scrutinize her face all the while, Yue was dragged away by Serpent and Stephen.

"…and beautiful too." Yu Fa Lei said. He held her face close to him as she could feel his breath on her skin. It made her sick to her stomach. She struggled to get away only to be pushed towards the couch roughly.

"You stay away from her!" Yue called out only to be ignored by Yu Fa Lei and was started to be beaten by Stephen, Serpent and Blade, while Anubis was keeping Sakura on the couch.

"Now I can see how you have melted the heart of a certain Li Xiao Lang," Yu Fa Lei stated. Sakura's eyes widened and she snapped her attention to him. ", or should I say, your beloved Shaoran." He continued. Sakura was speechless. How could this man know?

This feeling of fear for Shaoran's safety suddenly swept through her being. Something was nagging her from that inside telling her that there was something wrong…that there was something wrong with Shaoran. She could only pray that he was safe and that this man didn't have him.

"You can thank you father for destroying your lives. If he hadn't interfered with my business, he wouldn't have brought upon my wrath. Oh well, the only good thing that happened because of that is that Aro here," Yu Fa Lei then laid a hand on Aro's shoulder, who was still engrossed with something in his computer. ", the opportunity to have his first kill."

Sakura's eyes widened when she heard what he said and looked closely at the man behind the computer. She recognized the man. She recognized his face anywhere. She saw that man kill her parents.

Based on how wide her eyes were and Sakura's body language, it confirmed Yu Fa Lei's suspicion that she remembers her family's attacker. He had read in her files that she saw everything but due to her refusal to speak, she was never able to point towards Aro. Not that she would have been able to, her silence brought the opportunity to present another as the 'right' suspect and have him prosecuted accordingly.

"That is enough." Yu Fa Lei commanded, not taking his eyes off Sakura. The men stopped beating Yue. "Take them to the others."

Sakura was forcibly yanked to her feet by Anubis while Stephen and Blade grabbed Yue by his arms. Sakura tried fighting Anubis' grasp but was stopped when Yu Fa Lei leaned towards her and whispered, "Don't worry, my dear. I will have someone come for you after. Oh and I have a message for your lover. Tell Li that having his parents killed was one of the most fulfilling moments of my life. Also, tell him…you may have ran but now that I know who you are, you'll be joining them soon."

Yu Fa Lei smirked as he straightened when he saw how Sakura had stiffened. Yes. He had plans for her. "Anubis. Serpent. Be ready to escort Chief Sagato. Aro, you know I do not tolerate loose ends. Find and crush them."

Ruby took over handling Sakura while the other two men dealt with Yue. When they were gone from the room, Yu Fa Lei then returned his attention to Sagato.

"I'm disappointed in you, Sagato. You couldn't even keep Tsukishiro in line. It is bad enough that Li has been on our backs for years. It's a good thing that you were able to get Hiiragizawa and to have him work closely with Li, well, that part was well played but Tsukishiro…you should have dealt with him a long time ago too. But then again, it is not too late." Yu Fa Lei took a step forward towards Sagato. "Anubis and Serpent will accompany you in case Tsukishiro decides to visit. All you have to do is deliver that speech of yours."

XxXxXx

**10:44 AM**

The door opened and the three men all looked up instinctively. When Shaoran noticed Yue limping through the door, being supported by a blond man and threw him unceremoniously on the floor, he immediately stood up. Yue was alive, beaten up but very much conscious because the moment he hit the ground, he started to stand up.

The next blinking moment made Shaoran's breath catch against his throat. At that point in time. Touya and Yamazaki were standing as well.

Sakura was shoved harshly into the room. She was pushed with so much power that she stumbled unto Touya.

"Be ready." Stephen said.

Sakura clutched on to Touya really hard. Touya shielded her as well as Shaoran. Stephen stared directly at Sakura's eyes and then met with Ruby's. Sakura couldn't help but follow his gaze. Ruby didn't seem to express anything but she smirked a bit and tapped both her hands to her pockets once.

"We will be coming back for you." Ruby said before she, Stephen and Blade left.

It was a tense moment, the seconds it took for them to leave and the door to close. Sakura felt full blown fear and goose bumps run through her body. Her grip against Touya hardened.

When the door closed, Touya immediately turned and held Sakura by her shoulders, calling her name. It took awhile for the shock and the adrenalin to mellow down but Sakura met eye contact with her brother. She saw this immense worry and relief in his eyes.

"'nii-san," She said. Her voice wavered a bit as it was filled with much emotion. He could tell that his sister was tired from everything. It had taken its toll on her. She was thinner than what he remembered her to be aside from the sudden short hair she was sporting.

But with hearing her voice, Touya pulled her against his chest hard and wrapped his arms around her, afraid to ever let go. He could feel a swell of emotions wash over him. It had been years since he had heard her voice. It seemed like forever since he last saw her.

Sakura pulled back slowly. She allowed her gaze to travel to the other occupants of the room. "Shaoran," She called out to him. She stepped from her brother and ran to him. Shaoran didn't care if Touya was there. He just opened his arms for her, resolving himself to the fact that he will always keep them open for her, only for her.

"I saw Eriol-san." She whispered. Sakura could feel him stiffen against her. She stepped back and looked at his eyes. "I…" She bit her bottom lip, not exactly sure how to proceed. She then remembered Yue. She quickly turned and saw him sitting down, an arm propped on his leg, while the man she could only guess as Yamazaki sitting next to him. "Are you alright, Yue?"

Yue smirked and stood. "Yeah. It's nothing. It takes more to keep me down."

With that Sakura nodded. She then turned back to Touya. "'nii-san, we have to get out of here."

"Yes, I know." Touya wasn't exactly sure how he was feeling at that moment about his sister and Shaoran. He could tell that emotions between those two were running deeper than he would have liked. But he told himself that it wasn't the time to think and argue about that. Those people were going to come back and from what had been said, they were coming back for his sister. There was no way in hell he was going to allow them to take her. He met her eyes. There was something there that he knew that he wasn't going to like. He could see unshed tears and anger behind the relief that she was showing.

"I saw-" Sakura started but then stopped. No one spoke, waiting for her to continue. "'nii-san, the men…the man who came into our home and killed 'ka-san and 'tou-san…they are here. They are upstairs."

She watched as his eyes widened significantly. She watched as he took a breath of surprise. "What are you talking about? You mean the people here-"

Sakura nodded and then added, "I saw from the tree house, 'nii-san. I saw who pulled the trigger. Now they know that I know but they aren't going to kill me…" She began to stutter. It was as if the wave of fear was renewed and intensified in her veins. "This man, Yu Fa Lei, he will not have me killed. I think he has 'other' plans for me." She was starting to shiver unconsciously. She hardly felt Shaoran's arms wrap around her.

"He's not going to get you, Sakura. No. He's not going to do anything to you." Shaoran said in a voice full of conviction and confidence.

Touya didn't like the idea that another man was holding his sister very affectionately but he couldn't careless now. He had to admit that the words Shaoran spoke were true. He wasn't going to allow those men to get their filthy hands on his sister.

"There's something else," Sakura said as she turned around and looked at Shaoran. He didn't say anything as he met eye contact. "I know who had your parents killed. He said so himself awhile ago." She could feel his grip on her tighten. "Yu Fa Lei ordered your parents and mine to be killed. And he has a message for you…'you may have ran but now that I know who you are, you'll be joining them soon.'" By this time, tears were running down Sakura's cheeks.

Shaoran embraced her to him again. He clenched his jaw tightly. So the man who had turned his life upside down, destroyed Sakura's childhood, killed her parents, kidnapped her brother, taken them all, orchestrated everything that was happening and all the cases that he had handled was this man, Yu Fa Lei. He could feel the rage that was starting to invade his system.

"We are getting out of here alive and I swear to you that he will be put to justice, even if I have to kill him myself I will do that. He is never getting his hands on you, Sakura, never." He told her. Shaoran could feel her grip around him tighten in understanding.

He let her go and added, "The question now is _how. _Waiting for them to come again is definitely not an option."

"I agree. But hate to burst this sudden intense resolve to get out but we don't exactl_y _have anything that will help us get out." Yamazaki answered.

Yue smirked and said, "Don't be so sure. Sakura and I didn't just offer ourselves to find you guys and not bring anything of value aside from information."

"What are you talking about?" Touya said. "What do you mean offered yourselves?"

"We had to do something since it was getting really bad out there, not to mention your sister just barely survived a plane explosion that was supposed to take her to safety." Yue answered.

Shaoran who had removed Sakura's necklace and had placed it around her neck suddenly joined the conversation. "My guess is that they are tying up loose ends to cover up their sorry asses."

"Exactly. And like it or not, the people who can put this to end are in this room." Yue commented.

"Hold up. Hold up. That's great and all, damn, it's touching that you two would offer yourselves as bait but the fact remains that we are still stuck in this room." Yamazaki commented.

Yue took out a Swiss knife from his left shoe. He then took out a gun from his right jacket pocket.

"Where did you get that? I doubt that those guys are stupid enough to miss that when they brought you here." Touya said as he took a defensive position in front of Sakura in case Yue could not be trusted.

Yue didn't register any emotion and didn't seem to mind the comment. "They aren't stupid. That man with blond hair and blue eyes, Stephen, slipped the gun in my jacket after he beat me up and was dragging me down here."

When Sakura heard what Yue said, she remembered what the woman did before she left. Could it be that there were double agents that could be trusted? She then started shifting through her pockets.

"What are you doing?" She heard Shaoran ask her. She chose not to answer. Her blood ran cold when she felt something in her pocket. She took the items out and her eyes widened exponentially.

"It seems you are not the only one they gave something to. That woman…I think they called her Ruby. She must have placed them here." Sakura then showed a PDA and a small note. Shaoran took the note. "She told me where to look without telling me before they left this room."

Shaoran read through the paper. The note was simple. It said, "The PDA will show you where you need to go. Things aren't always what they seem."

Touya took the paper and read it. "Do you think this could be trusted? This could be a trap." He voiced out.

"I'd like to take the gamble and say that yes, I will trust her, that man Stephen and Eriol. I agree that some things aren't always what they seem." Sakura said.

Touya looked at his sister. "That's too much of a gamble. You are already in too much danger as it is."

Shaoran was deep in thought. He thought things over. "No. I, too, will trust this woman's information. I've known Eriol for a very long time. I trained with him. I worked with him. He must have his reasons for his betrayal but I do know one thing…he never does anything without good reason. He always thinks about everything, weighing all possible outcomes before doing anything. Besides, it is a bigger gamble to wait here."

"Or we could just ask your cousin for support." Yue said, making Shaoran's attention snap to him.

"Meiling. It's me." Yue said through the hidden microphone he hid on his molar.

"Yue! Kami! Are you alright? How's Sakura? Where are you? You aren't hurt are you?" Came Meiling's voice through the earpiece barely visible in its minuteness.

"We're moving out. We need assistance. Make some sort of distraction or something." Yue said.

"I have a better idea." Meiling said. There was a pause before she spoke again. "There is a computer expert here. She's already hacking into the system. She says to standby while she tracks your signal."

"Hacker? That isn't Chiharu is it?" Yamazaki said.

No one really could answer him. Sakura and Shaoran had left Chiharu outside Tomoeda. The last time they checked, she wasn't anywhere near Meiling.

XxXxXx

**10:50 AM**

"Were you able to give them what they need?" Eriol asked as he saw through the reflection of the window he was looking out on that Stephen and Ruby enter the room.

Ruby sat down on a seat and answered, "Yeah. I was able to slip in a PDA in Sakura's jacket."

"Yue has his gun." Stephen reported as he leaned back on the wall, crossing his arms casually.

Eriol was silent. After a moment, he turned around and walked over to a desk. He opened a drawer and took out a fun and checked to see if it was loaded.

"You guys ready?" He asked as he pocketed the gun. Ruby and Stephen looked at each other before looking back at Eriol, both having a grin on their face.

Without another word, the three left the room.

XxXxXx

**10:50 AM**

After finally meeting up with Meiling and Wei, Chiharu and Yukito discovered what had happened to Sakura and learned about Yue.

Yukito was shocked to say the least when Yue's name came up. He had met Yue a few years ago through Ruby. He had been working for Interpol longer than her. To learn that he was here in Japan and had been assigned to Sakura brought this sense of relief and wonder.

"Are you sure his name is Yue?" Yukito couldn't help but ask.

Meiling looked at him, sort of confused. "Yeah. I'm definite his name is Yue. Tall guy. Long, silvery, white hair. Sharp features. A little cold personality. Totally serious. No nonsense sort of person. Very protective of Sakura."

As Yukito heard Meiling's description, there was no doubt in his mind that it was indeed Yue that she was talking about. He then wondered if there was something more going on. It somehow felt that Interpol was involved without them even knowing it.

"What's the matter? He can be trusted, right?" Meiling immediately asked.

"Yes. I've met him before." Yukito answered in as a matter of fact statement.

His answered settled Meiling's doubts. She walked over to Chiharu, who had finally closed her laptop. She could tell that Chiharu was slightly frustrated but all in all, satisfied with the work that she had done.

Chiharu looked at Yukito. "I'm not sure if it is a good idea but I think that we need a back-up plan. You guys have seen the videos. If anything happens to us, I refuse to let this issue die. I don't want to think that they can just cover it up and pretend like the videos never existed."

"What are you suggesting?" Yukito asked. Honestly speaking, he was curious in what Chiharu had proposed. He agreed with her when she said that they cannot pretend that the videos do not exist then if somehow anything does happen to them, cover it up as if all those lives that were destroyed or got involved did not mean anything.

Chiharu sat straighter and faced her body to Yukito. "I have a friend. She is a reporter."

"You're saying we give the videos over to media?" Yukito clarified.

Meiling sat on the arm of the sofa as Wei brought in tea. "Chief Sagato will be having a press conference today related to the airport gun battle incident, young ones, at around noon. I believe, if you are going to pursue that plan, the videos should be given to the media before then."

"It is only a back-up plan now but I believe in being sure. Naoko can take it from when we give her the videos. She will know when the right time to reveal the videos will be. Plus, we will have a say in it to, you know, deciding to show it."

Yukito contemplated on what was being suggested. He knew that if they go through with it, not only will it be a great scandal but the very fabric of the legal system in Tomoeda, perhaps even the whole of Japan, is going to crumble. On the other hand, if the truth is revealed, the force will finally be purged of the darkness a few of their own are doing to smear the good name of justice.

As he was trying to decide on what to do, a male voice came over the speaker.

"Meiling. It's me."

Meiling quickly jumped and spoke through the mic. "Yue! Kami! Are you alright? How's Sakura? Where are you? You aren't hurt are you?"

"We're moving out. We need assistance. Make some sort of distraction or something." Yue said.

"I have a better idea." Meiling said. There was a pause before she spoke again. She signaled to Chiharu who already had her laptop going the minute she heard Yue's request. "There is a computer expert here. She's already hacking into the system. She says to standby while she tracks your signal."

As Chiharu was accessing the system, Yukito took the mic from Meiling and said, "Yue, this is Tsukishiro Yukito. Is there anything you can describe to help locate your area faster?"

"We are downtown, Jinku Nara. We were led to the basement, a small storeroom north, northeast of the elevators, south of the nearest fire exit."

Yukito turned to Chiharu and asked, "Did you get that?"

"Loud and clear." Chiharu confirmed as her fingers continued to do their magic.

"Tsukishiro, Ruby left a PDA with Sakura. She had turned it on. If you have a hacker with you, you can access it now."

"Ruby? Ruby Moon?" Yukito said in disbelief. He thought that Ruby had already quit her work at Interpol. The only explanation he could think of for her to be involved now was if she was still in active service. It seemed she still was.

"I suggest we talk about that later. Li and I are working on the door. We need back-up once we get it open."

"Got it! I found them!" Chiharu exclaimed. Yukito and Meiling walked over to her and looked over her shoulder. She didn't stop typing. "I've linked to the PDA and the programmed route set in it is the most plausible, easiest way to get out. I'm checking the surveillance of the building. Standby for a report."

"Copy that." Yue answered.

XxXxXx

**11:04 AM**

Naoko was preparing to leave her office to head towards Crossing Square, the intersection between the malls and hotel district of the tourism center of Tomoeda. Her iphone started ringing. When it registered Chiharu's name, we couldn't help but smile at her best friend's name.

"Hey Chiharu. 'sup?" Naoko answered with a smile as she continued driving. It was a video call.

"Hey Naoko. You aren't happen to be going to Crossing Square are you?"

"Actually I'm on my way. 'sup?"

"I have something big. It's going to change things here in Tomoeda. I need your expertise. You up for it?"

"Oh I'm liking the sound of that. Of course I'm in!"

"Great! Listen, we are also in Crossing Square, Park Mall, second floor food district. Meet us there."

"Us?"

Naoko saw Chiharu pull someone towards the video camera. "This is Li Meiling." She then pulled another person. "And you remember Tsukishiro Yukito, right? He works with Shaoran and Eriol."

"Yeah. Hey!" Naoko paused as they saw her continue to drive. "I'll be there in 10 minutes. I'll call you when I've parked."

"Alright. See you in a few." Chiharu said and turned off the phone.

Meiling then sat retook her seat in front of Meiling. She rubbed her hands on her arms. "How come I get the feeling that someone we are missing something here?"

"Maybe because we are." Yukito suddenly replied as he stared at the windows overlooking the windows that showed Crossing Square. He saw a lot of police in uniform coming into the area and taking different positions. There was no telling how many more there were that were in civilian clothing. "We are safe here at the moment. We have to thank the fact that this area is highly public. But we have to move soon." He added.

"Oh shit!" Chiharu exclaimed, making the other two look at her in slight alarm. Before they could ask her what was wrong, Chiharu patched through to Yue.

"Yue! Stop! It's a trap!"

Suddenly, Chiharu's laptop started crashing. Codes followed by other codes and flashes of video clips started popping up. No matter how Chiharu tried to stop them, it would not respond to any of her commands. Then a distinctive calling card among hackers presented itself on the bottom left hand of the screen, an arrow piercing a circle.

That only meant one thing…_oh shit! _Chiharu cursed.

XxXxXx

**11:05 AM**

Aro's finger's were typing awayon his computer. He was setting everything. In just a few moments, every piece of the puzzle would be encoded and everything would be finished. It will all fall into place and like a row of dominoes, nothing is going to stop the chain of events that were going to happen. He was finishing the final touches of his encryption. He had seen Chiharu's presence on his turf. He knew exactly what she was doing. He wasn't going to let her win that easily. He had made sure that when she opens a door he had set, she will get trapped and there was no way out. Everything would be revealed then. Everything will be known on both sides and the much awaited clash will begin.

With a smirk, he hit 'enter' and leaned back. All he had to do now was wait.

XxXxXx

**11:06 AM**

"Yue! Stop! It's a trap!"

Chiharu's voice rang through the receiver. It immediately stopped Yue dead on his tracks. Yue tried to get contact again but it seemed that the connection was also lost. They were alone and blind from then on end. He looked at the PDA in his hand and did the next best thing to stop transmission fast. Yue threw it against the nearest wall with all that he had.

When Yue suddenly stopped, Yamazaki, Touya, Shaoran and Sakura abruptly stopped as well. They looked at him questioningly but before any of them could say anything, Yue threw the PDA with all his strength, shattering the hand-held device into pieces.

Sakura unconsciously flinched and clung to Shaoran's arm. Shaoran gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Shaoran asked.

"It's a fucking set-up! We've also lost contact. We're on our own and blind." Yue said. He then checked his gun. He removed the magazine of his gun and cursed. "It's empty!" He exclaimed.

With that fact brought into light, Shaoran pulled Sakura closer to him. If they were playing with them, there was no way that he would allow them to take her from him again. They would have to go through him if they were to take Sakura.

"Keep the gun, Yue. Eventually we are going to encounter some of those bastards, we could outsmart some and get ammo. Since that is the only gun in our possession so far, we are going to need as much weapons as possible." Shaoran said as he took the lead. He pulled Sakura along and stopped by Touya's side. He turned to Sakura and then at Touya. "I don't need to tell you to protect her." He said addressing Touya.

Shaoran then turned to Sakura and said, "Stay behind your brother. Yue and I will take the lead. It will be dangerous if you cling to me." He waited for her to give a nod of confirmation before he turned to Yamazaki and said, "Cover the back. I trust that you know what to do."

Yamazaki smirked and gave a small salute. Shaoran then turned to Yue. No words were spoken as they already knew what the other was thinking. Their trainings were kicking in.

But before they could make any moves, men came out with guns. They were surrounded. Touya placed Sakura behind him while Yamazaki, Shaoran and Yue took steps back, enclosing their group tighter. Sakura had he back against the wall. Tears were threatening to spill from her eyes. She had never felt so helpless in all her life.

Blade stepped forward and extended a hand towards Sakura. "Come. Yu-san is waiting for you." He said.

Sakura gripped onto Touya harder. She wanted nothing more than to become invisible. She didn't say or make a move towards Blade. She knew what was going to happen if she went with him.

"She is not going with you." Touya said, determined to protect his sister. He wasn't going to let that man intimidate him into letting his sister go.

Blade only smirked. He took a step forward and retained his hand extended for her. "I don't have all day, bitch. Why don't you just make this easier on everybody and come?"

"You're not taking her anywhere." Shaoran replied, taking a step to block Blade's view of Sakura.

Blade's attention shifted to Shaoran. He then said, "Oh? And what can you do? Yu-san gets what Yu-san wants. Besides, what will you do? You are outnumbered, not to mention out-weapon."

Sakura was frightened out of her mind but the truth to Blade's words weighed heavy on her. It was like she was immersed in cold water. She knew that if her brother, Shaoran, Yue and Yamazaki continued their standoff because of her, protecting her, the chance that they would lose their lives at that very moment was greater. She forced herself to swallow. She needed to tip the scale. She knew that she was the only one who could do it covertly…that is…if she succeeded and that if she was thinking would tip to their favor.

She gave another squeeze to Touya's arm before she let go and left his back, walking towards the front. The moment he felt Sakura's fingers leave his arm, Touya whipped around and stopped her movements and attempts to leave his side.

"No, Sakura." Touya said, holding onto her shoulder, willing her to look at him. With the look at her face, he knew that there was a resolve there in her eyes, an almost painful, excruciating resolve that she was convinced must be done. "No." He said.

Sakura met his gaze with an understanding that he knew what she was up to. She gave him a faint smile. She opted not to offer any explanation. It wasn't the time for any explanations to begin with. These men were risking their lives for her. She saw it fit that she made the gamble as well for theirs. She would never forgive herself if she survived this and they didn't, knowing that she didn't do anything.

Sakura started moving away from him but Touya pulled her back. This time, it was Shaoran who hissed in a low, serious, even tone. "Don't even think about it, Sakura."

Sakura ignored them and reached for Blade's outstretched hand. As she passed Shaoran, she whispered, "I will be fine. I trust you." To say that Shaoran was stunned was an understatement but he had no time to revel in the shock nor let it register in his face. He could understand at wavelength what she was trying to tell him. He prepared himself for that.

Blade smirked as he noticed that Sakura was reaching out for him, walking towards him, and was able to pacify her companions. In his mind, it was telling him that it was making things more interesting. He waited for her to reach him before all hell broke loose.

XxXxXx

**11:15 AM**

"I'm here. I'm on my way to where you are. Where exactly are you?" Naoko said over the phone while she walked from the parking area to the mall proper. What Chiharu had told her earlier intrigued her. She wasn't lying when she told that she was in. She wasn't one to back down on a challenge. Based on the history of the friendship she and Chiharu had, whenever Chiharu approached her requesting her expertise, it only meant one thing, a challenge. From what she had gathered from their earlier conversation, she had a very big feeling that this was going to be history in the making. It was bound to change a lot of lives. There was no way she wasn't going to be part of it.

Naoko's phone beeped. She checked the message. It was from Chiharu. _'Meet me at Sugomi's Karaoke Bar. Private room 16.'_

She quickly changed directions, instead of heading to the food court as what Chiharu told her over ten minutes ago to the KTV bar.

It was a Saturday. The place was packed. It was weird. It wasn't even 12 noon yet but still the rooms she was passing to room 16 were filled and slight hints of music were coming from them. When she stood in front of room 16, Naoko knocked.

From the inside, Meiling and Chiharu stiffened. After Chiharu's computer started crashing and they've lost contact with Yue and the others, they were running on edge. Yukito chose to keep it together for their sakes. When he heard the knock, he cautiously hid behind the door and motioned Chiharu to check who was on the other side.

"Who is it?" Chiharu asked. She tried to keep her voice even.

"Chiharu, it's me Naoko." Without another word, Chiharu opened the door and pulled her inside, quickly closing the door again.

"What's going on? That was some welcome." Naoko then noticed the other occupants of the room. She recognized Yukito as he held a position in the local force. When her eyes drifted towards Meiling, she recognized her as Li Meiling, the one she was introduced earlier via video.

Chiharu sat back down in front of her laptop. Codes continued to appear. They would flick on and then another. It was too fast for Chiharu to study them or know what they were.

"Naoko, these are Li Meiling and Tsukishiro Yukito. Guys, this is Yanagisawa Naoko. She's one of my best girl friend who works for the media." Chiharu introduced.

After proper introductions were over, Naoko turned to Chiharu and said, "So? What's this big, life changing thing that you were talking about?"

Chiharu exchanged looks with Meiling and Yukito. Chiharu then turned her laptop towards Naoko and said, "As you can see, my computer crashed. You see this symbol? This is a hacker's signature. Watch the videos first before I go any further."

"Correct me if I'm wrong but I _am _seeing your laptop crash right?" Naoko replied, quirking an eyebrow.

It was Meiling who answered. "It's a good thing that we stored all videos in my PDA." She then handed it over to Naoko. "Just click the video you see there when you are ready. You'll see everything."

They watched Naoko's color pale as she watched the entire footage. Her eyes widened. After the video finished playing, it seemed that the PDA she held in her hands weighed more than it did. It was a good thing that she was seated or she would have fallen to the ground with weakened knees. She knew the gravity of the situation.

"That was heavily encrypted. Takashi started deciphering them and in turn, he was captured because he was caught by the hacker who had encrypted them and whose symbol you see now in my laptop." Chiharu explained.

"They are the ones involved with the airport gun battle a few days ago. I was there. I know they are the ones responsible." Yukito said.

"With all those aside, it seems that they are watching us. Giving this over to you, over to media hands, it might just tip the scale. You know how dangerous this is but there isn't any other way." Meiling added.

Naoko took a moment to take it all in. She made eye contact with all three of them before letting out a sigh. "You do know that Chief Sagato is going to conduct a press conference at 12 noon. We have," She checked her watch and continued, "twenty three minutes. I have to get going and set up. I'll take the videos with me. I'll take care of it. You guys get ready. It isn't going to be pretty. It will be chaos in the making."

Naoko stood to leave when Yukito spoke, "Keep the knowledge of the videos to yourself until the last moment. No one can be trusted. I'll shadow you." He then turned to Meiling and Chiharu and said, "You two stay here. Try to work on that. I'm not a hacker but I do know that you can decode that message. You guys have a hidden language, right?"

XxXxXx

**11:17 AM**

The moment Blade grasped Sakura's hand, he ordered, "Kill them."

"No!" Sakura screamed as she pulled him with all her might, allowing her to stumble back towards Shaoran. Gun shots soon were fired. Everything started to go in fast forward.

Blade had a firm grasp on Sakura as he literally dragged her from there. "Shaoran!" Sakura yelled before she and Blade disappeared from view around the corner.

Shaoran cursed under his breath and he wasn't sure how he managed it but he overpowered a man and took his gun. He started shooting at all the armed men he could find. His skill as a sharp shooter came in handy as he never wasted a bullet.

He looked at the guys. Yue had a bullet wound on his arm. Touya wasn't any different. Yamazaki had two gun shots to the legs. He wasn't spared either. He had bullets graze against his flesh, not to mention some hits from fits as he wrestled for a gun. Shaoran shook the knowledge off as he quickly looked for extra magazines and guns to equip Touya and Yamazaki with. Sakura was the only thing that kept running through his head. He had to get to her and fast. He was willing to forgo his injuries to make sure that she was safe.

"That was some slick shooting, Li." Touya commended when Shaoran handed a gun to him. He still wasn't sure about Shaoran with Sakura but based on what he had seen between those two in that short period of time, he was definite that those feelings were real. Besides, he was witnessing how fierce of a protector Shaoran really was. Silently, he was conceding his sister to the hands of this man in front of him. Sakura couldn't have chosen better. At least he was sure that the man he would allow near his sister could and would protect her even with his own life on the balance. He knew Shaoran would do anything to keep Sakura safe in a heartbeat.

Shaoran's expression didn't change. "Thanks."

"We are going to get her back, Li." Touya said. He felt compelled to reassure the younger man. He had heard his sister scream for him. He knew that it was killing the man inside.

"I know. No questions asked." Shaoran said.

"I'll take the front. You help Kinomoto-san assist Yamazaki-san." Yue said. Shaoran nodded as he and Touya took one side of Yamazaki and helped him up.

XxXxXx

**11:19 AM**

"Let go of me!" Sakura screamed as she continued to struggle against Blade's grasp. She started using her strength to break from his hold, while trying to keep pace. She got dragged corridor after corridor. She wasn't sure where they were already. She knew that the distance between her and Shaoran were growing, especially when he started to drag her through the fire exit and up the stairwell.

Blade had had enough three floors up. Without any warning, he hit Sakura with the back of his hand across her face with as much strength as he could muster, causing her to hit the nearest wall to her right.

Before she could even recover, Sakura felt a firm, hard hand on her throat, holding her there. Blade held her up as her feet started to dangle from the floor. With his other hand, he smacked her again and again, not holding any of his strength back.

"...bitch." He said, accentuating every word with a powerful smack. At the last word, the hand holding on to her throat, smashed her back against the wall.

Sakura groaned and felt the wind blown out of her person. She was in pain. Her hands struggled at the hand holding her up. Her fingers pried them open but it was no use. His grip was strong. It was almost impossible to break.

Suddenly, she felt him against her neck, smelling her, running his nose against her skin. She felt him start to lick her. Her eyes widened and her determination to get away from him was renewed tenfold. In response, Blade's grip tightened and she started to feel her consciousness start to fade. _Shaoran…I'm sorry…I love you… _Sakura whispered silently as tears started to fall from her eyes and the darkness started to overpower her.

As Blade started to violate her body, the fire escape door at their side opened. Blade turned but before he could ask him what he was doing there, Aro produced a gun and shot him point blank. Sakura sank against the wall, slightly confused if she was still awake or her mind was playing tricks on her.

The next thing she knew, Aro had a grip on her shoulders and was shaking her. "Oi! Oi! Snap out of it!" He yelled at her. It took awhile before Sakura's brain could register what he was saying or who he was. She felt herself being pulled to her feet.

When Sakura realized that it was Aro, her eyes widened, fear written all over her. She tried to pull away but he had a firm grasp on her and that was when she noticed that he was the one who shot Blade and was still holding the gun. She immediately stiffened, convinced that she was going to die.

"Stop." Aro firmly said. "I'm not going to hurt you. Actually, I'm taking you to where your friends are."

Sakura's brows furrowed in confusion. She told herself that she was indeed hallucinating or something because her parents' murderer was telling her that he wasn't going to hurt her and was actually going to bring her back, aside from the fact that he had actually saved her from Blade!

"W-why?" Sakura couldn't help but ask after she found her voice again. "Why are you doing this? Just kill me already!" Tears started to flow down her eyes again. She noticed that his gaze on her softened.

Aro then answered, "Ming." He then took out a small, old photograph of a girl from his pocket and showed it to Sakura. "That is my sister, Ming. She is about your age."

Sakura looked at the picture in her hands and then looked back at Aro, quite confused.

Aro then explained, "My real name is Ling Jun. My sister and I were born in Guangzhou. We were poor. Our mother died giving birth to Ming. Our father was only a struggling merchant, who was very sickly. He struggled to make ends meet. When Yu Fa Lei arrived in our city, he bought our whole district leaving us to the streets. My father never got his payment. He was forced to make loans. Soon, everything remained unpaid so as payment, Yu Fa Lei took my sister. From what I have heard and found out, she was thrown in a brothel somewhere in Beijing to earn the money our father owed. I followed her to Beijing after our father died a month after she was taken. I made myself rise from the streets to acquire Yu Fa Lei's attention. He took me in, not knowing who I really am. By that time, I changed my name to Aro, the computer expert. I had to work hard to earn his trust and my initiation and proof of loyalty was to murder your parents. I made him believe that he saved me from the streets of Beijing, that it was a waste of talent if he didn't take me in. Now that I am his most trusted servant, I will exact my revenge. I have waited years for this. I will take you back. You do not deserve the life he plans of giving you."

Sakura was speechless. She wasn't sure if she could render her trust on him after all that he has done but the look on his eyes as he was telling her his story, she could tell that he wasn't lying. He couldn't have faked the hatred and the thirst for revenge that was present in his eyes and voice.

"Come on. They are on their way up. We haven't got much time. We have to meet them before they encounter Yu Fa Lei." Aro said as he started to pass through the door he came from. Sakura scrambled to follow him.

XxXxXx

**11:37 AM**

Chief Sagato was sitting in the limo with Serpent and Anubis. He was going over the speech he had prepared for the press conference.

"You know I still do not understand why you keep on going over that thing. It's not like you haven't lied about something before." Anubis commented as he played with a knife with his fingers. Serpent smirked.

"Well if you haven't made such a mess at the airport, then maybe this little problem would have been avoided." Sagato answered.

Anubis was about to retaliate but was stopped by Serpent. "Just stick to the plan and maybe I'll continue to hold Anubis back. Next time, you won't be so lucky." He told Sagato.

Sagato seemed unfazed with the blatant threat thrown his way. He returned his attention on the paper on his hands.

XxXxXx

**11:40 AM**

Shaoran and the others were fortunate enough to find a linen closet. They brought Yamazaki inside and started tearing sheets to apply as make-shift tourniquets for their wounds, especially Yamazaki.

"You two," Shaoran ordered Yamazaki and Touya. "Stay here until one of us gets you. We are going after Sakura. Then we head out."

"Hold up! I don't like it one bit! I suggest you let me find the security room and let me work my magic. Then you two can go and find Sakura and I will find us a way out." Yamazaki argued.

Shaoran thought about it. It seemed a better idea. He turned to Yue. Both men agreed. Touya then commented, "If I remember correctly, the security room is in this floor. Yukito and I checked it out before for one of Sakura's concerts."

"Can you remember exactly where?" Yue asked.

Touya nodded. It was settled then. Without another word, the men headed out the door with Touya leading them to the room. When they reached there, Yue and Shaoran immediately pointed their guns at the three men who were behind the monitors.

"Nobody move." Yue said. The men raised their hands in surrender.

"Don't shoot!" One said as he stood up. "We work here. The man they sent, he was some sort of computer expert, just left."

"Yeah! H-he saw a girl in the monitor and then left." Another said.

"A girl? Who are you talking about?" Shaoran quickly said.

"That violinist, Kinomoto Sakura…that man saw her being dragged through camera 289 and without another word, he left." The man explained.

"Ok we are not going to hurt you. I am Special Agent Li Shaoran. If you guys cooperate then there won't be a problem. But if you try to even think of misleading us, I won't hesitate to shoot."

The three men registered the fear of the threat as they started looking through their respective stations. Yamazaki took an empty seat and started accessing the computer system.

"Can you track the man you were talking about?" Shaoran said.

"Got it!" Yamazaki said. Shaoran shifted to view what he saw. They used the surveillance cameras to the fire exit. They saw Blade's body, very much dead and shot.

Without another word, the four men behind the computers started to look for traces of Aro and Sakura. Going through the hundreds of surveillance cameras was like a needle in a hay stack.

"Wait! Hold it! Back there!" Yue pointed out to a monitor. The computer technician did as he was told and zoomed in on a video. They located whom they were looking for. "Where is that?"

"That's on the floor below the penthouse, main corridor near the different recreational rooms."

Shaoran and Yue dashed out of there and quickly made their way up.

XxXxXx

**12:00 NN**

Chief Sagato stood in front of the podium set for the press conference. A lot of microphones were set on it as flashes from cameras filled the area and video cameras were set to capture everything. Reporters from different stations were there nearest to the podium, waiting for the conference to start. Passersby who were curious were also there watching.

Among the crowd, at the heart of the group of reporters nearest to the podium stood Naoko. Yukito was somewhere among the crowd behind her.

Anubis and Serpent were also there, unseen, watching over Sagato as ordered.

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Let's begin." Sagato said as he stood there and got comfortable. "Last week, there was an incident at Tomoeda International Airport. Upon a series of investigations and review, we are presenting the result because we will be needing the public's help in locating a very dangerous man, whom was deemed responsible for the entire thing." He paused and looked across the crowd in front of him. "Special Agent Li Shaoran."

XxxxXx

**12:00 NN**

"I can't do it!" Chiharu exclaimed, still continuing to cut the loops of codes and clips that she was seeing. She had broken a lot of coded loops before but it was almost impossible to break with a faulty laptop and a short period of time without a code word or a password or a cipher to break the loop.

Meiling walked behind Chiharu to see what she was doing. "What's going on?"

Before either got to say anything else, Meiling's phone rang.

"It's starting." It was the only thing Yukito said. Meiling turned on the television and both women's attention shifted to the press conference. As they listened, both gasped at the sudden turn, the angle Chief Sagato introduced. Meiling could feel the fury run through her veins as Chiharu sat there, stunned, not really sure how to react.

XxXxXx

**12:00 NN**

"Jun-san," Sakura called out to Aro. Upon hearing his real name, he couldn't help but stiffen and this strange feeling of relief flooded his being, like he was human again…could actually feel again. He turned to her. "Please just tell me…" She said, with a defeated look. He looked at her confused. "I-I'm not getting out of this alive, am I? Please just tell me right now because I can't keep running." Tears spilled from her eyes. All the stress, the fear, the anxiety, the worrying, the betrayals, the twists and turns, the unknown was hitting her hard and was growing very, very tired. "I mean…oh Kami! I'm trusting my parents' murderer to get me out…the supposed partner of the man I fell in love with is a betrayer…my best friend is dead…Kami! I never asked for this! I never asked for this!"

Aro took hold of her shoulders as sobs were wracking her body. "Sakura! Sakura!" He called out to her. She was at the brink of being hysterical. "This is not the time for this. I know that you are beyond scared but I need you to trust me NOW."

He could see the reluctance she was having in him. He understood that. He deserved that. But they were losing time. Aro watched as the young woman in front of him, a woman just much like his sister, was agonizingly pulling it together.

Sakura met his gaze and watched him smirk, reassuringly. He was about to say something but in the next split second, he was shot through the chest, blood splattered on Sakura. She could only gasp as he started falling to his knees. He glanced down and saw blood starting to gush out of his chest. The area was numb. He couldn't feel the pain but he knew what was happening.

Aro slowly took out his sister's picture from his pocket and took Sakura's hand and grasped it hard. "T-tell your friend…the girl…with the computers…the cipher is Ling Ming." With that, he took his last breath and fell to the floor. Sakura stood immobilized. She didn't understand his message and noticed that she was holding something. She opened it and saw the picture. "Jun-san…"

"I was wondering what was taking you so long."

Sakura froze when he heard the voice of one person she wished would just drop dead. She never wished people to die but this man proved that he was the devil for all the things that he had done…for all the lives he had destroyed for his personal gain. She turned her gaze slightly and true enough, Yu Fa Lei stood there, lowering his gun and was looking straight at her.

He started walking towards her. Sakura froze. She quickly scanned her surroundings. She realized that she as trapped. Yu Fa Lei smirked. Sakura saw his satisfaction reach his eyes. His pleasure in seeing her trapped like a prey being hunted was too obvious to miss.

"S-stay away from me…" Sakura uttered, trying to keep her voice strong but have failed miserably. She started taking steps back. But soon she found her back against the wall.

As she took a step back, Yu Fa Lei took a step forward towards her. "Now, now. I'm not going to hurt you. Why don't you come here?"

Before he could truly corner her, Sakura froze while Yu Fa Lei stopped. "Get away from her." A male voice came from Yu Fa Lei's back. He slightly turned and seemed bored with the turn of events. Sakura's eyes widened a bit when she saw Eriol standing there, pointing a gun at Yu Fa Lei.

"In case you didn't understand…get away from her." Eriol repeated.

Yu Fa Lei smirked as his hand came to grab Sakura by her throat and pulled her in front. "Ah! Hiiragizawa, it's a shame. I suppose I truly can't trust you."

"Let her go now!" Eriol ordered. His eyes were cold, serious.

Yu Fa Lei only smirked again. Then, Sakura noticed that he was retrieving his gun from his pocket. She started fighting within his grasp, trying to grab the gun.

Eriol waited for an opening but Sakura and Yu Fa Lei were struggling too much that he had a split second to realize that he was not going to get a shot. He made the decision immediately to return his gun on its holster and then bolted to where the two were, hoping to help Sakura break free from Yu Fa Lei's iron grip.

XxXxXx

**12:05 PM**

"Special Agent Li Shaoran." Chief Sagato then held out a picture of Shaoran in his uniform. "He is the man found responsible for all the atrocities that have been plaguing our fine city." Murmurs started to erupt from not only those who were there but who were watching the live broadcast. "He is armed and dangerous and the local law enforcement to bring this man in justice. He has shamed his shield, shamed our city, shamed our country. My men will not stop until he is brought to justice. Now I will accept questions?" Sagato started looking at the sea of reporters there as hands started to shoot up.

He pointed to a reporter as the said reporter quickly stated his question, "What is Special Agent Li's objective in this? Were demands stated?

A mask of professionalism that he usually wore especially in front of the press crossed Sagato's face. "As of now, we still cannot reveal anything aside from the facts that have been stated. We are still investigating in the matter, to see how deep he had penetrated in the force and to determine if there are still things he had done that are not known at the moment. Once the investigation is over, I will personally give a statement."

Hands shot up again. Naoko was the one chosen this time. She knew the truth, well part of the truth. He knew that everything that was stated that day was utter nonsense. "Chief Sagato, is Special Agent Li also responsible at the incident at the Asturias concerning the violinist, Kinomoto Sakura? As there were reports that she was spotted at the airport at around the time of the shoot-out with Detective Li, not to mention countless accounts concerning her being with him at the hospital after the incident at the hotel."

Something inside Sagato told him that there was something fatally wrong with the question. It was like he was poured with cold water but he had schooled his features not to show any to anyone. "Yes. He is also believed to be the one responsible for that incident."

More murmurs broke as hands shot up again but Naoko wasn't finished. She wasn't the type to back down when the truth was right there smacking at her face. "Really Chief Sagato? Then could you care to explain what these clips mean?" Naoko shouted over the crowd.

Before Sagato could answer, Naoko's crew started playing the videos Chiharu gave her. The crowd and practically the whole of Tomoeda watched as the video showed Sagato clearly present at torturing a man, shooting him then having him dragged of before shooting the man dead.

The crowd was stunned into silence. "No comment." Sagato said as he quickly exited the platform, ushered roughly out by Serpent and Anubis. That was when reporters started break the spell and tried to get the truth but Sagato was not responding as he was led into a limo, taking him out of there."

XxXxXx

**12:24 PM**

"Let her go now!"

Shaoran and Yue heard a yell up ahead. Shaoran recognized it as Eriol. His feet took him to the scene faster. When they rounded the corner, both Shaoran and Yue stopped in their tracks. Of all the scenarios they thought could happen, this was the least of it.

They saw that Yu Fa Lei had Sakura and she was fighting him off, trying to get a hold of his gun while Eriol was helping her.

The next blinking moment found Sakura being flung to the table against the wall, hitting her back and causing her to crash to the floor, while Eriol continued fighting Yu Fa Lei for the control of the gun.

Shaoran noticed that the large vase that was on top of the table was wobbling and had hit the mirror. Without even thinking anymore, Shaoran ran and slid on the floor, covering Sakura's body with him a split second before the vase fell smashing against his back, injuring him.

The heavy vase shattered into a lot of pieces. Shaoran and Sakura were drenched by the water. Water and blood started to pool around them.

Sakura's eyes flickered open. "Sharoan…" She called out.

Shaoran glanced down at her and whispered, "I'm here, Sakura. I'll always protect you." Both of them blacked out.

Meanwhile, as Eriol continued to struggled against Yu Fa Lei, the trigger went off. Eriol was shot at his abdomen, causing him to take steps back.

Yu Fa Lei then aimed the gun at Shaoran's back. He knew that the man was only passed out. Yu Fa Lei wanted him dead. He was the only obstacle left he had to eliminate before he could get Sakura for himself. As he shot, he didn't expect to Yue to suddenly appear, shielding both Sakura and Shaoran with his body, taking in the fatal shot. Yue collapsed to the floor.

Yu Fa Lei continued to trigger but he was out of bullets. He threw the gun away, didn't care that Eriol and Shaoran were still alive at the moment. He figured that he would get Sakura anyway. He took steps towards the unconscious woman and her lover and shoved Shaoran away roughly and took Sakura with him. He started walking away.

XxXxXx

**12:25 PM**

"How the hell did that bitch get a hold of those videos?" Sagato fumed, glaring at both Serpent and Anubis.

The two did not register any emotion or reaction.

"It's out now." Anubis said as he aimed at Sagato and shot without even blinking. He kept shooting at Sagato to make sure that he was indeed dead.

Serpent then knocked on the window that separated the driver from the rest of the automobile. "Stop the car." Serpent ordered.

Anubis opened the door and stepped out. It was then that he realized that they had driven towards the docks. Serpent stepped out and made the same realization. They both took out their guns and Serpent rushed to the driver's door and opened the door. No one was there.

Serpent heard a gun lock behind him and made him snap towards the direction. He was surprised that he was trapped but didn't show it.

"Looking for someone?" Stephen said as he pointed a gun directly at Serpent. "Drop your weapon and put your hands up." He added.

"So you're an officer now?" Anubis said, aiming the gun at Stephen.

As Anubis readied to shoot Stephen, Ruby interrupted, "Don't even think about it." She aimed her gun at Anubis. The impromptu stand-off was something no one expected.

Seconds passed, which turned to minutes. No one dared to move or to even blink.

"You know…" Anubis started. "This is getting boring." Without any warning, he turned to Ruby and was about to shoot when a shot echoed in the area. In the midst of the split second that it happened, Serpent moved and raised his gun. Stephen yelled for the man not to move and to drop the gun but Serpent continued to aim so without another thought, Stephen proceeded to shot Serpent a couple of times.

When all settled, Ruby and Stephen realized that the shot that killed Anubis wasn't from either of them so they started to search where it came from. But they didn't have to look for long as they noticed Yukito walking towards them, a gun at his side. The two watched until the man was standing with them.

"Sagato is dead." Stephen said.

As Yukito replaced his gun on his holster, he looked at Stephen and then at Ruby. He then looked at both Serpent and Anubis.

"I'm taking this as an undercover assignment of yours, Ruby." Yukito commented. He then looked at her.

Ruby only grinned at him in return. "I believe you two haven't met. Stephen, Yukito. Yukito, this is my partner, Stephen."

XxXxXx

**12:32 PM**

Eriol staggered towards Shaoran. He knelt beside him and started shaking Shaoran to waken. "Shaoran! Get up! Wake up damn it!"

Shaoran started to stir. He blinked a couple of times before he noticed that Sakura was missing and it was Eriol who was waking him. He automatically tried to push him away from him.

"Listen!" Eriol said. He clutched his abdomen to try and stop the bleeding. He all but shoved his gun towards Shaoran. "He took her towards that hall. There is only one room in that direction. Go."

It was then Shaoran noticed that Eriol was bleeding. He took the gun and said, "Eriol-"

"No time. Don't be too late to save her. Kill that bastard." Eriol interrupted. Shaoran only nodded and moved to get up. He winced because of his injuries.

"Hang on. I'm not letting you die too." Shaoran said as he all but dashed towards where Yu Fa Lei disappeared with Sakura.

Meanwhile, Sakura began to stir. Her eyes went wide when she noticed that she was gagged and both her arms were tied together above her head on the headrest of a bed. She quickly looked down. Although she was clothed, Sakura saw that Yu Fa Lei was disrobing himself at the bedside and was looking at her. Fear struck her very core. She tried to scream for Shaoran. This man planned to break her inside out.

"Ah, I see that you are finally awake my dear. That's good. At least you will now see how I will pleasure you and make you forget all about that pathetic boyfriend of yours." Yu Fa Lei said as he got on the bed with only his boxers and started to straddle her.

Sakura squirmed and tried to get her hands free. She wanted him off. She wanted him gone. She wanted him dead. She had never wished any one in her life dead but he was the exception. He was a devil that wasn't supposed to be living in the first place.

Yu Fa Lei smirked at he lowered his head to her neck and started to smell her. He started to kiss her while his hands started to roam her body. Sakura was horrified with what was happening. She struggled more, especially since she was starting to feel his arousal. _Shaoran! _

At that moment, Sakura closed her eyes just in time to not see how a single bullet ran through Yu Fa Lei's head. Sakura opened her eyes when she felt a heavy weight drop on her. She snapped her gaze towards the direction of the door and saw Shaoran standing there, gun aimed, with cold eyes. She wasn't sure what happened next but the next thing she knew, Shaoran was holding her close to him. It was then that uncontrollable tears and sobs wracked her body, making him tighten his grip on her.

Shaoran only saw murder when he entered the room, seeing Yu Fa Lei on top of Sakura, trying to taint her. He had never shot as precise as he did at that moment. When he knew that Yu Fa Lei was dead, he quickly moved towards the bed and pushed him off her before he removed the ties that bound her to the bed. Without even removing that ties that bound her hands, Shaoran slipped Sakura's arms to around his neck and pulled her to him. Sakura was shaking bad. He could feel her tears and sobs. He instinctively tightened his hold. After a while, he removed the gag from her, not allowing her away from his chest.

Sakura tightened her grasp around Shaoran. She was afraid that if she let go, he would disappear and it was that nightmare again. "Don't leave me! Please…don't leave me!" Sakura repeated over and over again as all the pent up fear poured out of her.

Shaoran buried his face in her hair and whispered by her ear, "I'm here, love. I'm here. I will never let you go. I am here." All the pain his body was experiencing because of the injuries was forgotten as he tenderly cradled her in his arms. He had no intention of letting her go. He allowed himself to close his eyes to saver the relief of having her back in the safety of his arms.

XxXxXx

"…almost half of the Tomoeda police force had been found guilty and have been taken into custody. The Prime Minister is going to make a public statement regarding this historic, big case by tomorrow." Naoko's voice echoed through the room as she reported from the TV. It was then that the TV was shut off by Tomoyo.

It had been three days since it all came to an end. Tomoyo finally revealed herself alive to Sakura at the hospital that evening. Sakura had clung to her tightly. Shaoran had been treated as well as Eriol, Yamazaki and Touya. Yue hadn't survived. Sakura gave Chiharu Aro's last message after she was reunited with Yamazaki. Meiling and Wei also made an appearance at the hospital, making Shaoran glare at his cousin.

Now, they were back at the Daidouji mansion's living room after Sakura's great grandfather had been laid to rest. Eriol was still at the hospital recovering.

"I'm glad that this is finally over. I'm sure grandfather, Nadeshiko and Fujitaka can now rest in peace." Sonomi commented.

"Yes. I believe they are and we can all finally move on." Sakura answered.

Tomoyo gave Sakura's hand a squeeze. "I'm really sorry, Sakura-chan…for making you believe that I was dead. I was the one who convinced Eriol-san when I woke up not to tell you. He helped me escape so I wanted to help him help you escape as well."

Sakura turned to her and replied, "It's alright, Tomoyo-chan. You are alive. That is what matters to me now. I can understand why you did that. See? I am free." A tear rolled down Tomoyo's cheek as Sakura wiped it gently and continued smiling.

"But who was the one who died and was cremated in your place?" Yukito couldn't help but ask.

Tomoyo turned to him and said, "Eriol-san told me that that girl was already dead. She had donated her body to the hospital for medical study. I don't really know how they pulled it off but it was an elaborate setup."

"It was a program. I confirmed it with Yamazaki that Eriol had him create this program that would facilitate the machines, making it look like the girl was alive and if there were changes, it would crash." Shaoran answered.

"So Hiiragizawa was good all along…" Touya started. He then turned to Shaoran. "He did not betray you it seems."

Shaoran gave a nod and replied, "No. He did not. He went undercover when Ruby and Stephen gave him the opportunity. He couldn't bring me along because Sakura was with me."

"Speaking of Ruby and Stephen," Sakura said. "They left this morning, right?"

"Yes. They escorted Yue's body back to England to receive his proper burial. But they will be back soon." Yukito answered.

Sakura nodded. The room fell into a comfortable silence.

Later that evening, Sakura turned to Shaoran while they were at the same balcony they confessed to each other to, "Chiharu called me this morning. She told me that she and Yamazaki would be able to finish to sort out all the documents and evidence Aro left behind for you by tomorrow. And she also gave me the location of Aro's sister in China."

He turned to look at her. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes. It is only right." Shaoran nodded and wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. "Are you sure you can accompany me with you being promoted as Chief of the Tomoeda force?"

"Don't worry about that. I wouldn't say anything or refused if I can't accompany you."

After a while, Shaoran said, "After we come back, go with your brother to Europe and finish your music course." Sakura looked up to him. He then continued as he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, "I want you to finish, go out into the world and reach your potential. I do not want to hold you back."

"But Shaoran-"

Shaoran placed a finger on her lips to stop her and gave her a gentle smile before giving her a chaste kiss. "I know you can finish here but the best is out there. You have a gift, love, and I want you to learn as much as you can where classical music started."

Sakura looked straight into his eyes for a moment before burying her face in his chest. "Thank you." Shaoran's only response was to tighten his hold on her. He didn't like the idea of having her far from him but he meant what he said. He could never hinder her growth. He loved her too much.

A few days later, Sakura and Shaoran met up with Ruby and Stephen at Beijing as Interpol raided the brothel under Yu Fa Lei's name.

Shaoran approached a girl there and spoke in Chinese, "Do you know a Ling Ming here?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"It's business."

The girl eyed Shaoran and smirked. She then tried to flirt with him. "Well big boy, the name's Jade, why want her when I can satisfy you more?"

Shaoran narrowed his eyes and replied, "What makes you think I would want you?" He then squeezed Sakura's hand harder. It was then that the girl noticed his holding onto another.

"She's dead." Jade finally answered.

Shaoran turned to Sakura and told her what Jade said. Sakura stepped forward a little and said before Shaoran translated for her, "That's sad. Is it possible to know where she is buried?"

Jade looked at them and raised a brow. She then answered, "Why is it so important for you to know where she is?"

"I have a message from her brother, Ling Jun. It was his dying wish."

Jade's eyes widened. She started to stutter and said, "I-I am Ling Ming. That part of me died when I was brought here so that I could sell my body."

Sakura met Shaoran's eyes before she took out the picture from her pocket and handed it to Jade. Jade couldn't stop the tears when she saw the picture Sakura had given her. "Your brother kept that with him always. He joined Yu Fa Lei's gang to get you out. He planned for a long time. He died before he could. But he knew that he was going to die so he made sure that even death wouldn't stop him. He is the reason why you are free now. And also he wants to remind you that no matter where you are, he will always be your big brother and will be looking out for you." Sakura then handed her a piece of paper. "It's an account your brother had set up for you…for your new beginning." Jade couldn't stop the tears from falling now.

XxXxXx

At the airport, tears were shed. Tomoyo hugged her best friend goodbye. "Do your best, Sakura-chan. I know that you will be just fine. And don't forget to contact me once in a while. I want to know everything that happens."

Sakura couldn't help but chuckle. "Of course! And you, tell me what Aunt Sonomi says ok? She's still skeptical about you trying out fashion designing but I think she's going to cave soon." Tomoyo started laughing too.

Sakura then turned to Shaoran. This was the part that she dreaded. It was like her heart was being ripped from her chest. She took her mother's necklace from her neck and walked towards him. She locked it around his and said, "Keep this close to your heart…to remind you that I will always be thinking of you and you will be my music."

Shaoran wrapped her in his embrace. Sakura then whispered, "I will return to you. I promise." He whispered back, "And I will be waiting love."

After sharing a kiss, Sakura had to force herself to step back and smile. Shaoran gave her a reassuring nod and she turned to her brother to board the plane taking her to Venice.

THE END

Synergy, two or more agents working together to produce a result not obtained by any of the agents independently.

A/N: I purposely updated this late to allow you guys (those who have read the previous version) to get updated with the new version, also I was waiting for those who wished to review, place it on alert or favorites, to actually do it so that I could include your names above. Well anyway, it had been a long, long, long road. I do hope that you guys enjoyed the story as much as I did. I know it isn't perfect and that there are a lot of disappointments but hey no regrets. I hope that one way or the other this simple, humble story of mine was able to entertain you.

Michiko

P.S. I'm a sucker for happy endings and you guys have been such good sports to have waited for me to finish and stuck through the renovation of the story, I'm leaving you guys with a treat, a little extra. Enjoy!

**EPILOGUE**

Shaoran was driving home. It was already getting late. He had been held at the office for a little longer than normal. He was tired. In the quietness of the drive home, Shaoran couldn't help but allow his thoughts to drift towards Sakura. It had been almost two years since he had last seen her. Although they never lost contact, phone calls, e-mails, video calls over the net weren't enough. He missed her. He missed being able to hold her, keeping her close to him. He missed being able to kiss her. He missed everything about her. All he had of her was her mother's necklace which hung around his neck beneath his clothes, close to his heart as she had told him to. It was hard keeping a long distance relationship. It would have been easier to call it quits and try to move on. But he could never find it in himself to do that. He knew that would hurt both of them too much. He knew that he could never share what he shared with Sakura with another.

He hadn't noticed that he was home until he was already parked. Letting out a sigh, he got out of the car and headed for the front door.

As always, Wei was there to welcome him home. He took Shaoran's coat. Shaoran headed to his home office. As he loosened his tie, he heard Wei knock behind him.

"Enter." He said, not turning around.

"Young master, this came in for you today." Wei said as he approached Shaoran, holding a white envelop towards him.

Shaoran turned and laid his tie on the table. Before he took the envelop he unbuttoned two top buttons of his white shirt and folded his sleeves to his elbows. He reached for the envelop Wei was still holding out for him. He noticed that there was nothing written on it. He opened it and saw three tickets. He turned it over and it felt like his breath caught on his throat.

There in front of the tickets was Sakura's picture. Details of her concert were printed. Also, he noticed that the seats that were printed on the tickets were one of the best. He then saw VIP passes for backstage.

"Before I forget, young master," Wei started. He was watching Shaoran's reaction quite closely. He smiled and continued, "It was hand delivered."

Shaoran's head snapped up. He looked at Wei, stunned at the implied message. Wei simply smiled some more and added, "She has been waiting for you at the gardens."

Without another word, Shaoran dashed out of his office and ran towards the veranda that led to his garden. Once he stepped foot on the veranda, he stopped to a dead halt. There in front of him was the woman he never could stop thinking about. There by the fountain allowing her hand to stroke the water behind her and slightly turned from him was the woman who captured his heart without even trying. As the moonlight gently touched her skin, dancing on the serene smile that lit her face, it made her look ethereal. She had grown her hair out again and it slowly danced with the cool breeze that surrounded the garden.

Shaoran had dreamt of this so many times. It was hard to believe that it was true. Without even realizing it, his feet were taking him towards this beauty step by step. When he was a few feet away from her, his voice uttered the name he would never get tired of saying ,"Sakura."

As if watching everything in slow motion, she turned to face him. His breath caught more when she blessed him with the bright, heartfelt smile she only reserved for him. She stood, "Shaoran." She said. Her eyes reflected all the emotions that she was feeling.

He reached out a hand to touch her face, afraid that it might be just one of his dreams and would wake up without her again. As if sensing his apprehension, Sakura took at step forward and placed her hand over his and guided it to her cheek. She closed her eyes and reveled at the warmth of his touch.

"It's me, koibito." She whispered to him.

As if breaking from the spell, Shaoran pulled her to him and all but crushed her into his chest, arms wrapping around her form, trying to further convince himself that she was real. As seconds passed, which turned into minutes, and she didn't disappear, he tightened his embrace and buried his face on her hair by her neck. As if compelled like he had never been compelled before, he uttered the words he wanted to tell her since she left, "Marry me." There was no way he was letting her go again.

Shaoran felt her surprise. He broke off and looked into her eyes again. "Will you allow me to hold you…love you…cherish you for the rest of our lives? Will you be my wife?"

Sakura's eyes softened as a smile broke. Tears of happiness were escaping her eyes. As he kept their eyes connected, he knew her answer. It made his heart beat faster, made it swell inside his chest as he was overcome with much happiness and love. But it took a notch higher when he heard her answer, "Yes, koibito, I will marry you. I love you."

Without another preamble, Shaoran took her lips with his and shared a passionate kiss that told her all the things he felt for her. She returned every emotion without hesitation. She opened her mouth for him to claim. She had always been his as he had always been hers.

When they broke to catch their breaths, Shaoran engulfed her in another heartwarming embrace.

"I'm home." She whispered up to him.

It made his arms around her tighten. It made her feel the safety and security, the love that she always felt whenever she was in his arms. "Welcome home, koishii. I love you too." His words made her heart swell. She looked up at him and tilted to give him a chaste kiss, which he didn't hesitate to deepen.

Shaoran took her in his arms and carried her bridal style inside. That night, they shared all the love, devotion, trust and all of themselves with each other. They weren't giving each other up or letting the other go ever again.

XxXxXx

"Hi Aoi. Is Chief Li available?" Sakura asked Shaoran's secretary.

The secretary smiled up at her and replied, "He is currently having a meeting with Tsukishiro-san. Would you like me to tell him you are here?"

"No. I'll wait. Thank you." Sakura smiled and took a seat in the waiting room. Aoi watched the young woman with slight envy. She was able to marry a man as handsome, loyal and dedicated man like Li Shaoran. Aoi could understand what made her boss fall for Sakura. She admired her beauty, simple but elegant. Aside from her music, Aoi could tell with how Sakura deals with her that Sakura's character was filled with compassion, respect, and loyalty, the traits that were perfect for the Chief's wife. With a small smile of her own, she started working again.

It wasn't long before the door opened, with Yukito heading out and followed by Shaoran. Sakura looked at the door and gave the two men she valued in her life with a bright smile.

"Hi." She greeted as she walked up to Yukito and gave him a hug before turning to Shaoran and doing the same and giving him a quick kiss.

"Sakura. Why didn't you enter my office? We both wouldn't have minded." Shaoran asked his wife.

She smiled again and replied, "You two were in a meeting. I didn't want to disturb your work." Shaoran kissed her cheek, not caring who saw his sweet gesture.

"Well, if you guys will excuse me, I'll leave you two be. I better get these started." Yukito said, holding up the files in his hand. He kissed Sakura's cheek and patted Shaoran's back before heading off.

"Aoi-san, you may take an early lunch break. I'll take it from here." Shaoran said taking his wife's hand.

Aoi gave a nod and excused herself before heading off to lunch. Shaoran then ushered Sakura inside his office. Once the door was closed, he pulled her to him and gave her a proper kiss that always left her breathless.

"So what did the doctors say?" He asked as he held out a chair for her and assisted her to her seat.

Sakura waited for him to be seated at the chair in front of her before she smiled and answered, "They told me that I'm fine."

Relief washed over his features. He had been worried about her for a while now. She had been sick for a couple of days, both thought that she was coming down with the flu or something. "That's good to hear…I'm so relieved." He commented.

Sakura tilted her head to the side a bit and smiled a little more. "It is nothing that will not go away in six and a half months." She watched him stiffen, eyes snapping open.

He looked at her. She knew that he was confused and worried again. "But you said-"

"I said I'm fine, which is true, and so is the baby." Sakura said cutting him off.

Again, Shaoran was stunned. _Baby? _It actually took a moment for him to comprehend, for what his wife was telling him sink in. He jumped from his chair and pulled Sakura up into him. His beloved was with child! Sakura couldn't help but giggle at her husband's antics.

"I'm pregnant, my love." She whispered to him.

Shaoran suddenly kissed her again, a deep searing kiss that made her feel loved and cherished to her very toes. He then laid butterfly kisses all over her face before claiming her lips once more. Ever since he met Sakura, happiness was returned to him. Now, with her telling him that she was carrying his child, he never thought he could be happier until that moment.

"I'm taking it as you are very, very happy." She said, breathless.

Shaoran cupped her face with both hands, leaning his forehead on hers. "You've always made me happy, koi. And yes, I am very, very pleased that you are carrying my child."

"The doctors said that in a couple of weeks, they would tell us what our baby would be…if we are having a son or daughter. Would you like to know or would you rather wait until its birth?"

"Whichever you choose, koi, is fine. All I want to know is that you and our baby are doing well, healthy and very comfortable."

His answer made her smile. It was one of the reasons why she loved him with all of her. She often wondered what it was she did to deserve him loving her. "I want to wait until the baby is born to know."

"That is fine with me. I want to be there when you go for another check-up."

"Of course. I'd rather you be there with me not that we know. Also, I want to keep this between us for awhile, like our little secret. You know how Tomoyo-chan and 'nii-chan are. When they find out, they'd always make me rest, I won't be able to practice."

Shaoran guided her to sit again, this time on the couch as he sat next to her, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her closer. "You do need to rest. I don't want you to over-do anything."

"I know. But knowing them, I might not get to practice. I was thinking that the winter concert will be my last until the baby is born. I was thinking we could tell them then."

He kissed her forehead as she laid against the crook of his neck while her hand laid on his chest. "I think I can allow that but like I said I don't want you to over-do it."

"I won't. I promise. Besides, my doctor told me that I should keep playing or surround myself with music now, classical music to be in fact. He said that it helps with the baby's development."

"That is wonderful, koi! But after the concert, it is only at home you will play so that you won't have the stress of preparing. I don't think it will be good for the two of you."

Sakura snuggled closer to his chest and got comfortable. She gave him a nod. It was silent for awhile before a thought made her chuckle. She could feel Shaoran look down at her. "When Tomoyo-chan finds out, she's going to make such a fuss about baby clothes. I can actually see it now."

His chest vibrated as a heartfelt laugh left him. He started stroking her hair. "Yes, I'm sure she will indeed make a big fuss about it. Don't forget Meiling. When she learns that she is expecting her first niece or nephew, who knows what she would do?"

Sakura couldn't help but laugh along with him. She understood what he meant. It made her cherish her life now more. It was moments like that she spent with her husband, new family and friends that made her feel content. It made her feel that everything they went through was worth it.

"Come on." Shaoran then said, getting up and assisting Sakura to her feet. "Let's get something to eat. I'm not allowing my pregnant wife go hungry, not that I'm ever going to ever allow her to grow hungry."

XxXxXx

It was early spring and Sakura was nearing her due date. So it was decided that the baby shower and the celebration of her birthday would be combined.

It wasn't a difficult pregnancy, to Shaoran and Sakura's delight. Shaoran always accompanied Sakura whenever she was going to have her check-up. In one of her check-up, they conducted her first ultra sound. They were pleasantly surprised that Sakura was carrying twins. It delighted both parents as they had talked about wanting to have a big family.

Months have passed and as predicted, when Tomoyo found out that Sakura was with child, she started designing and making clothes, especially since she and Sakura were having a break from the music scene until Sakura delivered. And when she found out that Sakura was having twins, she doubled everything she made.

When Touya found out, he frequented Sakura and Shaoran's home whenever he was in Japan to play the piano to his unborn nieces or nephews. He would accompany Sakura, helped fix the nursery, buy things for the babies, waited with Sakura until Shaoran came home.

When Yukito found out, he took it upon himself to help Shaoran with his work so that he could go home to Sakura early.

When Meiling found out, she took the next flight out from Hong Kong to visit. She also took her fiancé with her and introduced him to them. She told them that she was postponing her wedding until the birth and would expect all of them, including the babies there. She already had matching ying yang necklaces with the Li family crest made for the babies but it would remain as a surprise until they are born.

Sakura was standing beside one of the cribs in the nursery, fixing one of the mobiles her brother had gotten for the babies. It was made in Venice, hand-carved upon Touya's order. It was a mobile of musical notes and painted with attractive colors.

Shaoran stood by the door, leaning against one of the sides, looking at his wife. He loved watching her, especially now, swollen with his children, fixing the things their children would be using. It warmed his heart. He couldn't stop thanking all the Kamis there were for giving him a wife like her and the life they now shared.

He walked over to her. He saw her content smile as she laid a hand on her swollen belly. Upon arriving behind her, he wrapped his arms around her and laid a hand a top hers, holding their little miracles through her stomach.

"The guests have started to arrive, my love. We should go greet them." He whispered.

Sakura smiled and leaned back. "Of course." She looked at him and cupped his face before giving him a kiss on the lips. "The nursery is ready." She informed him.

He returned her smile and kissed her again before answering, "Yes and it is beautiful. Now, koi, I'm sure everyone is waiting for you. But before then," He took out a box and placed it in her hands. "Happy birthday, my love." He kissed her.

Sakura opened the box and gasped at what she saw. It was a necklace. It had an emerald gem pendant with gold and diamonds, shaped into the Li crest. "It's beautiful." Shaoran smiled and took the necklace out to latch it around her neck. "Not as beautiful as you. Nothing but the best for my wife."

Sakura turned around in arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. She kissed him and said, "Thank you so much." With that he led her to their waiting guests.

Gifts were opened, both for Sakura and the babies. Everyone was there, sharing in the celebration of three lives. Touya and his wife, Kaho, Yukito, Tomoyo, Meiling, Chiharu, Yamazaki, Eriol, Sonomi, even Ruby and Stephen visited.

Suddenly, Sakura felt what she thought were contractions. She grabbed Shaoran's hand and gave it a squeeze. Shaoran turned to her and asked, "What's wrong?"

Sakura let the contraction pass. "I-I think I'm having them today." Just as she finished saying it, another contraction occurred. She couldn't help but shut her eyes.

For a moment, Shaoran paled, it was like he forgot everything he needed to do, before he turned to Touya who was getting up at the same time. Touya told Shaoran, "I'll get the car. Kaho, call the hospital and tell them we are on our way."

During the entire labor until the birth, Shaoran never left Sakura's side. Shaoran was given the privilege of cutting the umbilical cords of his daughters. He was also the one who prepared the first clothes his daughters were going to use aside from their receiving blankets. As he held the little articles of clothing in his hand, the small mittens, bonnets, one-piece white with silver hand-sewn designed clothes, Shaoran felt this indescribable feeling that yes, this was it. He was already a father.

After Sakura was brought to the room, their babies followed. Shaoran took one infant while Sakura took the other.

"Look Shaoran, this little one has blue eyes." Sakura said as she looked at the infant in her arms. Her eyes reminded them both of Shaoran's mother's eyes.

"And this one has green eyes like her mother." Shaoran answered. "So what are we going to name them?"

Sakura looked at him and then at their daughters. "I want to name this one," The baby in her arms, "Yelan. Li Yelan." Shaoran's eyes softened. "And this little one," Sakura reached out to the one in Shaoran's arms, "I want to name her Nadeshiko."

At that moment, Shaoran felt like he was the luckiest man in the world. To have her wife name one of their daughters after her slain mother was an honor but to also have her name their other daughter after his mother was surreal. It was like he was on top of the world with the whole world in his arms. With his other arm, he wrapped it around Sakura and pulled her and his other daughter closer to him. He kissed the top of her head and whispered his love to her.

Sakura leaned against her husband and whispered the same. "I think this is one of the most memorable birthdays I've had. Our children are the most precious gifts we could ever receive, my love. I'm so happy they are finally here with us like this. They are healthy." Aside from the difference in eye color, the twins had the amber, brown hair of their mother as well as her complexion, their father's nose and ears. They were very beautiful girls indeed.

Their friends and family soon entered and shared their little blessings. Touya was surprised but was greatly touched when Sakura named one of her daughters after their mother. The room was filled with overwhelming love. It truly was a very special day indeed.

THE END

**For the last time, I would like to ask you guys for reviews. I would really, really like to know what you think. Thanks.**

**Michiko**


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